tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52419749840418574392024-03-08T07:42:56.384-08:00The Delicious Ways I Waste My TimeRaquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-34044581038164134852011-07-13T20:15:00.000-07:002011-07-13T20:15:07.221-07:00Reinhart's Light Whole Wheat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx4zigJrK30/Th5HOzWYs_I/AAAAAAAAAKc/H522t5U0Y4g/s1600/DSC01079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx4zigJrK30/Th5HOzWYs_I/AAAAAAAAAKc/H522t5U0Y4g/s400/DSC01079.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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For a while, I had been experimenting with bread making using random recipes from different recipe sites, other blogs, or miscellaneous books. I was beginning to feel like I was getting the hang of this whole kneading, rising, shaping, baking thing, but I felt like something was missing. So, I coughed up the money and bought my first bread book - Peter Reinhart's "Bread Baker's Apprentice." Let me tell you, I am extremely impressed. Reinhart "deconstructs" the whole process, from the ingredients used to the different categories of bread (other than just quick or yeasted) to the actual baking of the bread. Of the few recipes I've tried, each has been outstanding. Many of the recipes require an overnight preferment, but some, like this Light Whole Wheat, can be made in one day. I altered Reinhart's recipe a bit, substituting the dry milk powder for soy milk and adding a little water, so that this bread fits my vegan diet. It is the perfect sandwich bread - a nice soft crust, a creamy crumb, and a slight honey flavor. I'll definitely be making this more often!<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
8 oz unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
3.25 oz bread flour<br />
6.75 oz whole wheat flour<br />
1.5 tsp salt<br />
1.5 tsp yeast<br />
8 oz warm soy milk<br />
2 tbsp butter, melted<br />
1.5 tbsp honey, melted <br />
3-4 oz water<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Add the remaining ingredients except 1 oz (2 tablespoons) of the water, and mix to form a rough ball. Add more water if it seems too dry.</li>
<li>Transfer to a lightly floured or oiled counter and knead for 10 minutes (if using a machine, knead using the dough hook for about 6 minutes). **My dough seemed very stiff and was not very stretchy, but turned out great**</li>
<li>Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and let rise at room temperature for 90-100 minutes, until it has risen to twice its size.</li>
<li>Gently turn the dough out onto the counter and shape into a log. </li>
<li>Place in an oiled loaf pan and let rise again for 75 minutes, or until it has crested over the rim of the pan.</li>
<li>About 10 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350°F.</li>
<li>Bake for 30 minutes, rotate, and bake for another 15-30 minutes. The bread should be a nice golden brown and register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.</li>
<li>Let cool at least 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy! </li>
</ol><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JEVGXB7zVHA/Th5HOyQqD8I/AAAAAAAAAKk/LffKNQ3eEls/s1600/DSC01081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JEVGXB7zVHA/Th5HOyQqD8I/AAAAAAAAAKk/LffKNQ3eEls/s400/DSC01081.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-64389249413606502522011-06-21T18:43:00.000-07:002011-06-21T18:43:06.838-07:00Basic Sourdough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rrJ6TscTMNU/TgE93Eg1JbI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/YCUoUfqO2Xw/s1600/DSC01012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rrJ6TscTMNU/TgE93Eg1JbI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/YCUoUfqO2Xw/s400/DSC01012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I'm not really sure what it is about having more time to get things done that makes you do less. I think the excitement of being busy keeps you going strong. I blame this for my recent lack in posting. I haven't been a total waste, though. I've been experimenting with a few things, like scales and sourdough. First things first, let's talk about scales.<br />
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There are a few websites that post their ingredients by weight, not volume. For a while I steered clear of these recipes. I was either too scared to try something that seemed so advanced, or I just really didn't want to go out and buy a scale. However, I wasted more & more time on the internet and found a few pages that convinced me that having a scale was necessary. One of them was a post by Susan at Wild Yeast Blog, <a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2008/03/02/weigh-your-ingredients/">The Right Weigh</a>. Here she really explains why scales are important and how they can be used for things such as Baker's Percentages (another one of her great posts, or four, the first of which is found <a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2008/03/22/bakers-percentage-1/">here</a>). She really knows what she is doing, so listen up and go buy yourself a scale! I got myself the Salter MaxView scale from BB&B for about $50, and it was well worth the money. <br />
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The next topic is sourdough. While it seems very daunting, it really isn't that difficult. It just takes some time. The thing that makes sourdough different is the fact that it uses an aged, fermented starter, which is composed simply of flour, water, and yeast. You can make your own starter at home (<a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/07/13/raising-a-starter/">Another Wild Yeast post</a>, <a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/sourdough-starter-day-1">very in depth tutorial by Heavenly Homemakers</a>, etc. I will post on that in the future), or buy some commercially (<a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/classic-fresh-sourdough-starter-1-oz">from King Arthur Flour</a>, for example). After that's done you can make some sourdough bread!<br />
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So here we go. This recipe is adapted from one I found at King Arthur Flour. <br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 cup / 8 oz active sourdough starter<br />
1 1/2 cup / 12 oz lukewarm water<br />
2 tsp instant yeast<br />
1 tbsp / 1/2 oz sugar<br />
2 1/2 tsp salt<br />
3 1/2 cups / 15 1/4 oz all purpose flour<br />
1 1/3 cups / 6 oz whole wheat flour<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1B9G5bjEuz0/TgFG-JJYgdI/AAAAAAAAAKE/zv5aEEtW2Jk/s1600/DSC01004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1B9G5bjEuz0/TgFG-JJYgdI/AAAAAAAAAKE/zv5aEEtW2Jk/s200/DSC01004.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><ol><li>Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Knead to form a smooth dough. </li>
<li>Allow the dough to rise in a covered bowl until doubled in size, about a 75-90 minutes. </li>
<li>Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into two 10" logs or two round boules.</li>
<li>Cover with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size again, about 60 minutes. </li>
<li>Near the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 450°F.</li>
<li>Wet a sharp knife and make two to four cuts in each loaf in either an X, a cross hatch, or diagonal slashes. </li>
<li>Bake for 30 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Let cool 1 hour before slicing. </li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-78216457678883927532011-06-09T11:46:00.000-07:002011-06-09T22:06:56.459-07:00Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-60Xg0AW-x9w/TfGmVDIbC9I/AAAAAAAAAJo/evQWzMf4Is8/s1600/DSC00987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-60Xg0AW-x9w/TfGmVDIbC9I/AAAAAAAAAJo/evQWzMf4Is8/s400/DSC00987.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I was at the grocery store the other day and saw red peppers on sale for $0.89! Eighty nine cents!!! For those of you who don't pay attention to how much each item you buy at the grocery store costs (I have to - I'm a starving college kid), red bell peppers get expensive. The green one's aren't bad - they usually go for about $1 a piece or so. But the red ones can be as much as $3 for one! Which is usually enough incentive to just buy the green ones, even though the red taste sooo good. So anyway, I seized the opportunity and grabbed a few... and then had to think up ways to cook them. So here's one of them - Stuffed Peppers. These are very easy to make and the recipe is very flexible. No matter what you do, they're almost guaranteed to be good!<br />
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I used brown rice in mine because I like the nutritional value and I think it tastes better. However, brown rice takes longer to cook, so if you decide to use it make sure you start the rice about an hour before you want to eat. Yes, it does take that long. Stick with white if you're in a hurry!<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
2 red bell peppers (or green, or yellow, or orange... whatever you prefer), halved and seeded<br />
1 tbsp olive oil <br />
1 cup rice (brown or white, see note above)<br />
2/3 cup chopped onion<br />
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce<br />
1/2 tsp cumin<br />
1/4 tsp garlic powder<br />
1/4 tsp chili powder<br />
1/2 tsp dried herb blend<br />
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<b>For the sauce</b> (optional):<br />
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced<br />
2 tbsp chopped walnuts<br />
1/2 tsp dried basil<br />
1/2 cup soy milk<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and rice and cook stirring frequently until rice is toasted and onions are transparent (begin about an hour and a half before you want to eat if you are using brown rice).</li>
<li>Add one can of tomato sauce, spices and herbs, and 2 cups water. Stir well. Lower heat to a simmer and let cook covered until all liquid is absorbed, about an hour. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. </li>
<li>While rice is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil. Place pepper halves in the water and cook for about 3 minutes, until just slightly tender. Remove from pot and immediately place in cold water to halt the cooking process. </li>
<li>Preheat oven to 350°F.</li>
<li>When the rice is done, pour the other can of tomato sauce and 1 cup water into the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Place pepper halves in dish and fill with rice. </li>
<li>Bake for 15-20 minutes. </li>
<li>While the peppers are baking, place sauce ingredients in a food processor and grind until smooth. </li>
<li>Top stuffed peppers with avocado sauce (and cheese, if desired) and serve!</li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-28658790358318754882011-06-06T18:47:00.000-07:002011-06-06T18:47:02.166-07:00Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VbLDj3btoew/Te2B2sJ3x7I/AAAAAAAAAIk/lUOxfT3AHYE/s1600/DSC00971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VbLDj3btoew/Te2B2sJ3x7I/AAAAAAAAAIk/lUOxfT3AHYE/s400/DSC00971.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I really should be studying for finals, but I came home after taking two of them today and really didn’t feel like sitting down with a book quite yet. So I decided to make some whole-wheat sourdough bread (coming soon!), and then got stuck making cookies while I waited for it to rise. And by “stuck” I mean I went to New Frontiers to pick up some chocolate chips, stock up on whole wheat flour, meander around and find nutritional yeast... and then come home and make some cookies. Apparently this blog is appropriately named. <br />
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Anyhoo, I took a traditional favorite and made it vegan, more nutritious, and soooo delicious! In case you didn’t notice, these have no added oil, no butter, and use whole wheat flour, which makes them that much more awesome. I only made a half batch just in case they didn’t turn out great, but I think I’m going to need to make some more.. I don’t expect they will stay around very long!<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span> <br />
1/3 cup natural peanut butter (use the kind that you have <br />
to mix before you eat it)<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup soy milk<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour<br />
1/2 cup all purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 cup rolled oats<br />
1/2 cup chocolate chips<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Preheat oven to 425˚F and grease a cookie sheet.</li>
<li>Combine peanut butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla and stir until very smooth.</li>
<li>Add remaining ingredients, making sure to mix very well.</li>
<li>Using your hands, grab a bit of dough and form into a ball. Place on cookie sheet and press down lightly to flatten.</li>
<li>Repeat for the rest of the dough - you should get about 24 cookies. </li>
<li>Bake for about 10 minutes, or until they begin to crack and brown slightly on top. </li>
<li>Remove sheet from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving. </li>
</ol><br />
Makes 24 cookies.<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Nutritional Information</span> <br />
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I'm so excited!! First of all, this turned out AMAZING. I made it last night when I really should have been focusing on my essay that is due today, but I needed a break. But it's all good, because I ended up finishing my essay with plenty of time this morning, AND I get to eat this amazing.... loaf. About that, I'm not really sure what it is. It's not really a cake, because It's a little tougher than cake and it's made in a loaf pan. But it's not just bread, either.... It's somewhere in between. So I've officially just dubbed it a loaf. It's great toasted and with a little jam for breakfast (my boyfriend can attest to that), wonderful as a snack, and just sweet enough to pass as a dessert. Hey, you can just eat it all day long :)<br />
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But don't. Even though it's vegan (which is awesome! I actually made two recipes, one that had eggs and one that uses applesauce, and the vegan one had a better texture AND better taste.. woohoo!), it's not necessarily healthy. I made three mini loaves and cut each into 12 slices, which is pretty small (it's easier to eat less when the loaves are smaller to start with). So indulge a bit, but make it last. You'll enjoy the loaf and your health for a little longer :)<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span> <br />
3/4 cup soy milk<br />
1/4 cup poppy seeds<br />
2 cups all purpose flour<br />
2 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2/3 cup canola oil<br />
3/4 cup granulated white sugar<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce<br />
2 tbsp lemon juice + 2 tbsp orange juice (OR 1/4 cup of one or the other)<br />
2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Preheat oven to 350F and grease 3 mini loaf pans. </li>
<li>Combine soy milk and poppy seeds in a small bowl and let soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.</li>
<li>Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in another small bowl. </li>
<li>Using an electric mixer, mix oil and sugar in a large bowl for one minute. </li>
<li>Add the applesauce and mix for an additional 2 minutes. </li>
<li>Add dry ingredients, juices, vanilla, and soy milk mix to the bowl. Mix with electric mixer for another 2 minutes. </li>
<li>Divide evenly between the 3 loaf pans, leaving at least 1/2 in from the top rim. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the tops are a nice golden color. </li>
<li>Let cool before slicing and serve. Since you have more than one loaf, feel free to give one away and make someone's day (and keep yourself from eating ALL of it). I did!</li>
</ol><br />
<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Nutritional Information</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcDjgaqCWpM/TekJwXgcnhI/AAAAAAAAAIE/1PELbjhvmwc/s1600/Picture+21.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcDjgaqCWpM/TekJwXgcnhI/AAAAAAAAAIE/1PELbjhvmwc/s1600/Picture+21.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Calculated using recipes.sparkpeople.com.</span>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-71291526624320142452011-06-01T20:01:00.000-07:002011-06-02T08:07:34.708-07:00Guacamole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pPEGk7rHssY/Tebqpr0wNUI/AAAAAAAAAHk/Nv9v6oPFLC0/s1600/DSC00953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pPEGk7rHssY/Tebqpr0wNUI/AAAAAAAAAHk/Nv9v6oPFLC0/s400/DSC00953.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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My parents got me the cutest little mini Cuisinart food processor for my birthday, so I put it to use for the first time today and made some guac! This one's a bit spicy, so cut down on the jalapenos if you're sensitive. Enjoy!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span> <br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
1/4 large onion<br />
1 jalapeno<br />
2 avocados, grab 'em at Farmer's Market on Thursday nights!<br />
1 tsp ground cumin<br />
2 tsp lemon juice <br />
3 Roma tomatoes, diced<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>If using a food processor, slice onion, jalapeno, and avocado. </li>
<li>Place all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor and process until desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl.</li>
<li>If not using a food processor, mince the garlic, finely chop the onion and jalapeno, and mash the avocado in a bowl. Add onion, jalapeno, cumin, and lemon juice to avocado. </li>
<li>Stir in diced tomatoes.</li>
<li>Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips as a snick or add to a burrito for a delicious meal! </li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-65415513848020129552011-05-29T22:12:00.000-07:002011-06-01T20:03:15.419-07:00Whatever-You-Like Pizza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljofRlq1BWI/TeMh9aXWE_I/AAAAAAAAAHc/VpgNLsG5Kzo/s1600/DSC00937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljofRlq1BWI/TeMh9aXWE_I/AAAAAAAAAHc/VpgNLsG5Kzo/s400/DSC00937.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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So the picture is not much to talk about, but the pizza is AMAZING. I made this for my parents when they came up for my birthday (along with a blueberry pie!) using my brand new pizza stone from my boyfriend. Holy moly it was good! The crust was crunchy without being burnt (probably due to my amazing new stone), and the crust rivaled the best I've ever had from a pizza parlor. The cool thing is you can really put whatever you want on top of it to get exactly the pizza you like. Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span> <br />
<b>Dough</b><br />
2/3 cup + 1 tbsp<b> </b>lukewarm water<br />
1 tsp yeast<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
3/4 tsp sugar<br />
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour<br />
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<b>Toppings</b><br />
Really, just put whatever you like on top, but make sure to cook everything first. The pizza isn't in the oven long enough to really cook the vegetables, unless you prefer them crunchy. Here's what I used, but get creative!<br />
Pizza sauce (I didn't have time to make it fresh so I just grabbed some from the store... next time) <br />
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced<br />
1 green pepper, thinly sliced<br />
1 package mushrooms, thinly sliced<br />
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced <br />
Small (3.8 oz) can sliced olives<br />
Fresh mozzarella cheese, grated (optional)<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>The night before cooking, prepare the dough. Mix all ingredients until well incorporated and let rise on the counter for 2 hours. Do not knead!! Place in fridge and use within 1 week. </li>
<li>On baking day, preheat the oven to 425&deg;F 20 minutes before baking time, if using a baking stone (if not using a stone, a 5-7 minute preheat will do). </li>
<li>Prepare vegetables however you wish. I just threw all mine except the tomatoes into a wok on the stove for a few minutes to soften them up. </li>
<li>Split dough in two equal pieces and roll each into a 1/4 inch thick round. Place on a pizza peel or baking parchment. </li>
<li>On one of the rounds, spread the pizza sauce and top with vegetables and cheese, if desired. </li>
<li>Bake for about 15 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like your pizza.</li>
<li>Repeat for the second ball of dough, or safe for later use. </li>
<li>Let cool for a few minutes and serve. Yum!</li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-75923641518012506222011-05-24T21:45:00.000-07:002011-05-24T21:47:42.431-07:00Enchajitas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gIpgG_Gfol8/TdyCPeMtqvI/AAAAAAAAAF4/sdt_OCMnO_E/s1600/DSC00900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gIpgG_Gfol8/TdyCPeMtqvI/AAAAAAAAAF4/sdt_OCMnO_E/s400/DSC00900.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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When it comes to Mexican food, Southern California has just about the best you can find, second only to... well, Mexico. There are the super authentic hole-in-the-wall places where you almost need to speak Spanish to order, the Americanized places that still serve authentic-tasting food, but with more of the American style, and the giant chains that really just say they are Mexican because they serve burritos. Whatever your preference is, you can find what you're looking for. So I naturally grew up with the love for Mexican food ingrained in me. But when I decided to try the vegan lifestyle, some of my beloved Mexican dishes went out the window. So instead of just leaving them in the dust and forgetting about them, I decided to try to combine two of my old favorites, enchiladas and fajitas, into something I could eat - and the result was amazing.<br />
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The picture shows some I made with cheese on top (for the boyfriend), but they are just as good without! <br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span> <br />
<b>Filling</b><br />
1-2 tbsp olive oil <br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 large yellow onion, sliced<br />
2 large green peppers, sliced<br />
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn<br />
A few dashes chili powder <br />
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<b>Sauce </b><br />
2 tbsp all purpose flour (or 1 tbsp whole wheat, 1 tbsp white)<br />
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa<br />
2 tbsp chili powder<br />
1 tsp dried oregano<br />
1 tsp ground cumin<br />
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth<br />
8 oz tomato sauce<br />
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8 medium flour tortillas <br />
1 can sliced olives (optional)<br />
Cheese for the top (optional) <br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Preheat oven to 350°F. </li>
<li>Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.</li>
<li>Add garlic and cook until browned, about 1 minute. Add onions and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add peppers and corn and cook while you prepare the sauce.</li>
<li>Mix flour, cocoa, and spices in a medium saucepan. Add a small portion of the vegetable broth to make a paste. Slowly whisk in the rest of the vegetable broth.</li>
<li>Bring broth mixture to a boil on the stove. Add the tomato sauce and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.</li>
<li>Take one of the tortillas and set ~1/8 of the pepper mix in the middle, as you would a burrito. Fold the sides over and set with the flaps down into an 9x13 baking pan. Repeat for each tortilla, using an additional pan if necessary. </li>
<li>Use a ladle to pour the sauce over the Enchajitas. Top with olives and grated cheese, if desired. </li>
<li>Bake in oven for 15-30 minutes, depending on how crispy you want them. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve. </li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-65748577122594044742011-05-21T19:49:00.000-07:002011-05-22T07:20:46.668-07:00Whole Wheat Brownies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tMLQruFhKac/TdiHRUVMIxI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/AB77DGkIB14/s1600/DSC00856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tMLQruFhKac/TdiHRUVMIxI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/AB77DGkIB14/s400/DSC00856.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Brownies are intrinsically... unhealthy. Which is unfortunate. And when you try to make them healthier, it often ends in disaster. So when my roommate told me last night that she wanted to make brownies, I decided to take baby steps and start with whole wheat. So while these still have way too much butter and too many eggs for my liking, it's a work in progress. Fortunately, these weren't disastrous at all, but rather much too tempting. It's tough to stay out of them!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter<br />
1 cup light brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp baking cocoa<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
2 large eggs<br />
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour<br />
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips<br />
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter for drizzle (optional)<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 8x8" pan.</li>
<li>Heat the butter in a saucepan until melted. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Continue to heat until just bubbling. </li>
<li>Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and add the cocoa, salt, vanilla, and eggs and stir until smooth. </li>
<li>Add the flour and chocolate chips; stir again until smooth. </li>
<li>Transfer to the baking pan. To make the drizzle, heat the peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until just melted. Transfer to the corner of a plastic bag. Cut a very small hole in the corner with the peanut butter (careful not to drip!) and drizzle over brownie batter.</li>
<li>Bake the brownies for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. </li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-70976562832696880812011-05-20T21:34:00.000-07:002011-05-23T19:59:14.651-07:00Armadillo Potatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gcjiiErpbAk/Tdse4IqJoLI/AAAAAAAAAFw/m_J7SzAu1ak/s1600/DSC00833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gcjiiErpbAk/Tdse4IqJoLI/AAAAAAAAAFw/m_J7SzAu1ak/s400/DSC00833.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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These are really called Hasselback Potatoes, named after the restaurant where they were first served in Stockholm, Sweden. But my boyfriend, upon seeing what came out of the oven, dubbed them Armadillo Potatoes, and the name stuck. Because of the slices in the potato, they bake quicker than regular ol' baked potatoes and develop a different texture. Enjoy!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
5 medium Russet Potatoes<br />
2 cloves garlic, sliced<br />
2 tbsp olive oil <br />
A pinch of paprika<br />
A pinch of salt<br />
Chopped chives<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li> Preheat oven to 425°F. </li>
<li>Thoroughly wash potatoes. Slice each potato into 1/8 inch wedges that go down to a 1/4 inch from the bottom of the potato. </li>
<li>Stuff garlic slices between every 3-5 wedges, alternating sides of the potato.</li>
<li>Combine olive oil, paprika, and salt in a bowl and drizzle between potato slices. Rub extra oil over the surface and into the potatoes. </li>
<li>Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the inside is soft and the skin crispy. Let cool for 5 minutes, top with chives, and serve!</li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-77664850825381049232011-05-19T06:48:00.000-07:002011-05-23T19:41:45.323-07:00Tomato & Herb Pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--snvQ2xi1qs/TdsadY901SI/AAAAAAAAAFg/wPO9ryOC8UM/s1600/DSC00883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--snvQ2xi1qs/TdsadY901SI/AAAAAAAAAFg/wPO9ryOC8UM/s400/DSC00883.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
The ingredient list for this dish is very short and general - you probably have all these things in your kitchen right now! The simplicity of the ingredients tastes so clean and fresh that you won't want to go back to your "sauce out of the jar." Serve with fresh steamed vegetables, such as string beans or broccoli.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
3 cups whole wheat pasta<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced<br />
3 medium Roma tomatoes, diced<br />
2 1/2 tsp no-salt Italian herb blend, or fresh Italian herbs, to taste<br />
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Cook pasta according to package directions. </li>
<li>Heat olive oil over medium heat.</li>
<li>Add sliced garlic and cook until slightly browned, about 1 minute.</li>
<li>Add diced tomatoes, dried or fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes</li>
<li>Lower heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.</li>
<li>Top pasta with cooked tomatoes and serve hot.</li>
</ol><span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Nutritional Information</span><br />
Calories: 362<br />
Fat: 6.4 g<br />
Saturated Fat: 0.8 g<br />
Cholesterol: 0 mg<br />
Sodium: 5.3 mg<br />
Potassium: 223.7 mg<br />
Total Carbohydrates: 64.8 g<br />
Dietary Fiber: 8.7 g<br />
Protein: 13 gRaquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-71094140750181257632011-05-14T16:36:00.001-07:002011-05-14T16:36:38.826-07:00Spicy Peanut Stir-FryI don't have a picture for this one yet (it disappeared before I had a chance to take one), but you can take my word that this recipe rocks. One thing I really love about stir-fry's is that they are so versatile - just take whatever you have in the fridge and throw it in there. Go ahead and be creative with this one. It's pretty hard to mess up. (Note: I threw this together without a recipe, so the ingredient measurements are not exact. Keep in mind - vegetables cook down a lot, so make more than you think you will need.)<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
<u>Stir-Fry</u><br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 large onion, sliced<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 large bell peppers (any color), sliced<br />
2 cups broccoli<br />
2 cups sugar snap peas<br />
1-2 chopped jalapenos, without seeds or core<br />
2 cups brown rice<br />
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<u>Peanut Sauce </u><br />
2/3 cup vegetable stock<br />
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce<br />
1/4 tsp dried ground ginger, or to taste<br />
Hot sauce, to taste (I like using Sriracha)<br />
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Cook brown rice according to directions. It should take approximately 1 hour to cook, so plan accordingly.</li>
<li>Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet or wok.</li>
<li>Cook onions and garlic until the onions are slightly transparent and the garlic begins to brown. </li>
<li>Add the rest of the stir-fry ingredients and toss. Add additional oil if necessary (keep in mind the vegetables will add some moisture as they continue to cook; don't overdo the oil). </li>
<li>As the vegetables cook, combine the stock, soy sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. </li>
<li>When the vegetables are tender, add peanut butter and soy sauce mixture to the wok, stirring to coat all the vegetables. </li>
<li>Top brown rice with the peanut stir-fry and serve immediately.</li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-78658185353608371582011-05-14T16:36:00.000-07:002011-05-14T16:36:20.784-07:00No-Knead French Boule<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F85CnreyFuM/TcwXmv7huuI/AAAAAAAAABo/oGk9iQnpBuU/s1600/2011-04-22+18.25.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F85CnreyFuM/TcwXmv7huuI/AAAAAAAAABo/oGk9iQnpBuU/s400/2011-04-22+18.25.49.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This no-knead bread is so easy and sooo good! As it rests in the fridge it develops a mild sourdough taste, so there is no need to keep a starter alive. This works best when baked in a cast iron dutch oven, but a pizza stone or cookie sheet will work, as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
1 cup lukewarm water<br />
1.5 tsp instant yeast<br />
1.5 tsp salt<br />
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. You may need to incorporate the last bit of flour with wet hands, but do not knead! The dough that results will be a relatively wet, sticky dough.This is exactly what you want. </span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (cut a hole in the center to allow gasses to escape) and let rise for about two hours, until the top of the dough begins to fall. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the initial rise, refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours or up to 12 days. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On baking day, remove dough from the fridge and dust the top with flour. Prepare your baking surface by dusting liberally with flour (I use a piece of baking parchment that I will later place inside the dutch oven).</span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Take all of the dough and shape into a ball by stretching the top of the dough down to the bottom. Rotate the dough slightly and stretch the dough to the bottom again. Repeat until you get a nicely formed ball. Let rest on prepared surface for about 1 hour. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">15 minutes before baking time, preheat your oven to 450&#176;F. If using a baking stone or dutch oven, preheat these inside the oven as well. Dust the surface of your loaf liberally with flour and slash a scallop, cross, or hatch pattern on the top. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Time to bake! If you are using a dutch oven, bake with the lid on for 15 minutes, and then for another 15 minutes without the lid, or until it is as brown as you like. If you are using a pizza stone or cookie sheet, bake for 30 minutes or until crust is as brown as you like.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remove bread from oven and let cool on a wire cooling rack for 1 hour, if you can resist! </span></li>
</ol><span style="font-size: small;">Tip: If you don't use a dutch oven, you can get a similar crust by preheating a broiler tray in the oven and adding a cup of hot water when you put your bread in the oven. This will create steam, which gives that amazing crackling crust. Yum! </span><br />
<ol><ul style="font-family: inherit;"></ul></ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-64606323389509147122011-05-14T16:35:00.000-07:002011-05-19T07:08:22.411-07:00Banana Nut Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pn7ILWUFnpY/TcwRrEgWMvI/AAAAAAAAABk/bphSbbE0kv4/s1600/banana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pn7ILWUFnpY/TcwRrEgWMvI/AAAAAAAAABk/bphSbbE0kv4/s400/banana.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Let's start off with a simple, delicious recipe for low-fat and vegan banana bread muffins. I make these in the morning before class (they're actually in the oven right now!) and bring a few to work with me. Let's just say they don't last very long. They're very moist and chewy, and you honestly can't tell they're made with whole wheat! </div><a name='more'></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Ingredients</span><br />
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1/4 cup non-dairy milk<br />
1/4 tsp lemon juice<br />
3 large or 4-5 small ripe bananas<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup raw or white granulated sugar<br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
2 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)<br />
2 tbsp pure maple syrup<br />
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)<br />
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<span style="font-family: reenie beanie; font-size: x-large;">Instructions</span><br />
<ol><li>Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a muffin pan.</li>
<li>Combine non-dairy milk and lemon in a medium bowl and mix until bubbly.</li>
<li>Mash bananas. You can do this in a bowl with a spatula, in a food processor, or as I prefer, in a Ziploc bag. If you choose the ziploc method, place bananas in bag and make sure to get all the air out. Mash the bananas with your hands, being careful not to pop the bag! When you're finished, cut a small hole in a bottom corner of the bag and simply squeeze the mashed banana out!</li>
<li>Combine mashed bananas with the sugars and milk mixture; set aside.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, mix the spices, flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the banana mixture and all remaining ingredients.</li>
<li>Spoon batter into muffin tins until about 3/4 full. Don't forget to grease your pan! Top with oats if desired.</li>
<li>Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy!</li>
</ol>Raquelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07846008678274789545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241974984041857439.post-32961085856641570172011-04-14T17:46:00.000-07:002011-04-14T17:46:31.010-07:00Cinnamon Swirl Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YSbbhK8DbiE/TaeUt2mY8kI/AAAAAAAAAAM/1G7uOwevT9o/s320/220075_10150257933584186_601774185_9049113_6183011_o.jpg" width="320" /></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">When the sweet tooth calls... Cinnamon Swirl Bread.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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