Vegan Red Velvet Cupcake

So many people love red velvet cake and cupcakes. I haven’t ever really been one of them, probably because I was never given too many opportunities to try them. When I finally had a red velvet cupcake several years ago in New York, I was underwhelmed. The flavor wasn’t very memorable – mainly it was just pretty. But then I made them myself a few weeks ago, and I got why they were special: chocolate.

Don’t mistake me – red velvet cupcakes don’t have a very strong chocolate flavor, but you do have a hint of it, which is sometimes all you need. This particular recipe is a winner because the flavor, color and texture is all exactly what you’d want in a red velvet cupcake. It’s sweet, mild on the chocolate, the color is a lovely shade of dark red, and moist, plus the cupcake holds together pretty well. The frosting is not very thick, but it complements the cupcake with a creamy, sugary finish. I shared these cupcakes with some friends, none vegan, and they all agreed that they were delicious!

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
This recipe is taken from Food.com
Yields approximately 12 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup vegan milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup vegan granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vegan red food coloring* or two small bottles of red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon chocolate extract, optional (this can be hard to find, so omit it if you cannot locate it in your local store)

For the Frosting:

• 1/4 cup vegan butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups vegan powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line muffin pans with liners.

Whisk together the vegan milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle. Note that I have only used soy milk in this recipe, so I do not know if other vegan milks will thicken in this step.

Curdling soy milk with apple cider vinegar

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix.

Sifting the dry ingredients

Add the oil, food coloring, chocolate extract (if using), vanilla extract and almond extract to the curdled soy milk. Whisk well to combine.

You'll use about two small bottles of red food coloring

Make well in center of dry ingredients and gently fold wet ingredients into dry, mixing until large lumps disappear. Do not over mix, or your cupcakes will turn out gummy – small lumps are okay.

Finishing up the batter

Fill cupcake liners about three-quarters full as these cupcakes will rise fairly high. And make sure you use the right size of cupcake liners – mine were too small for my pan, but I used them anyway!

Filling the liners with the batter

Place in hot oven and bake 18-20 minutes until done, or until toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes in the pan for five mintues, and then transfer to a cooling rack or surface to cool completely.

Cooling on the rack

Using a hand mixer (or by hand), cream together the vegan butter and vegan cream cheese until just combined.

Mixing it all by hand

Whip in the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Scrape down the sides and mix until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla.

Now it just needs to chill to firm up a bit

Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

When ready, spread some frosting on each of the cupcakes.

Spreading frosting on red velvet cupcakes

Then serve and enjoy!

Worth it.

What is your favorite cupcake?

Orange Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween

There are some amazingly adorable ideas for Halloween out there on the interwebs. I am impressed with what people have thought up – like a chocolate caramel apple that looks like a cauldron or mashed potatoes in the shape of ghosts. It’s such a fun time of year when everybody has their creative witch hats on, and both kids and adults alike can have a scary delightful time.

I ran across a really cute idea a few weeks ago for orange jack-o-lanterns. It’s an extraordinarily easy recipe; it just takes a little effort to empty the oranges of their guts, but that’s the messiest and longest part. After that it’s just a few steps and you’ll have a cute little dessert that you, your guests and kids will oh and ah over.

Orange Jack-O-Lanterns
Recipe from Martha Stewart Recipes

• 4 navel oranges
• 2 pints mango, passion-fruit, or orange sorbet, or vegan vanilla or coconut ice cream, softened

Be sure to select oranges that have a somewhat flat bottom so they can stand upright, and don’t forget to buy two pints of your favorite vegan ice cream or sorbet – a single pint will not fill all four oranges (I learned the hard way).

Oops - I only bought one pint, but I really should have gotten two!

Slice off the top quarter or so of each orange, and reserve for lid. Using a grapefruit spoon or paring knife, scoop or cut out interior of oranges. Reserve flesh for another use, such as fresh orange juice.

You'll use the top for the lid, so hang onto it

Carve a face or some other Halloween image on the orange.

Carving is pretty easy, but I'd recommend using a small knife like a paring knife

There are a variety of ways that you can decorate the lid, but I found using a cinnamon stick is a great way to make it more interesting as well as functional. Break a cinnamon stick in half (you can get it to give more easily if you score the middle (horizontally) with a knife. Poke a hole in the top of the orange lid with a knife and twist, take your half-sized cinnamon stick and poke it through the hole.

Adding a cinnamon stick as a decorative addition

Pack each orange with sorbet or vegan ice cream, and top it with a lid. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.

All it needs to do now is freeze!

Serve immediately from the freezer as it can melt quickly if it sits out for too long.

Frozen Jack-O-Lantern

The ice cream or sorbet does take on the flavor of the orange a little bit, so be sure you use one that compliments the orange. I found that the vanilla bean coconut ice cream I used was a perfect pairing.

Also, if you’re like me and you wind up with more hollowed out oranges than you do ice cream, then pop a tealight candle inside and light it. It creates a lovely glow and can be great for your table.

Who says that lit jack-o-lanterns all have to be pumpkins?

What are some of the cuter or more fun ideas you’ve run across so far for Halloween that you’d like to try?

Candy Corn Parfait, a grown-up dessert for Halloween

Even though I never dress up, host parties or go to them, I somehow still manage to get really really excited for Halloween. I have spent literally hours this year poring over recipes and recipe ideas for this holiday, wondering what I should conquer first. Some of these ideas are incredibly easy, while others are a bit more complicated. There are those that are completely kid-friendly, while still others are meant for grown-ups.

Take this easy-to-make parfait, for instance. It can be made for kids, but overall this one is for the adults. With a little orange liqueur and a wine glass, this one is a candy corn lover’s dream, mimicking the yellow, orange and white layers found in this candy often seen in trick-or-treat bags and bowls – a perfect twist for your more sophisticated Halloween party or dinner. The end result of the recipe below serves one, but you’ll have enough lemon curd for 4-6 glasses. Make it kid-friendly by omitting the liqueur and using a sturdier clear bowl or glass.

Candy Corn Parfait
This recipe is adapted from the one found on the Food Network website

Lemon Curd
This recipe is by Kim Garr and can be found on VegNews

• 3/4 cup coconut milk, preferably from a can
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, or the juice of 2-3 medium-sized lemons
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup vegan sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Remaining Ingredients for the Parfait
This makes a single serving, depending on size of glass and preferred amount for each individual serving

• 1 large orange, or 1 10.75-ounce can of mandarin oranges
• 1 to 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, optional
• 3 tablespoons vegan lemon curd
• 1/4 cup vegan whipped cream, like Soyatoo (either in a can or box)

For the lemon curd, cut and juice two to three lemons, then pour into a small saucepan.

Tip: when juicing lemons, juice first with the cut side up, then turn over and squeeze again - this gives you more juice than you would get otherwise

Zest about a teaspoon of lemon peel (ideally do this before you juice your lemons, but I somehow forgot!).

Zesting lemon peel

Pour in the coconut milk. Store the unused coconut milk in your refrigerator.

Use unsweetened coconut milk from a can

Add your remaining ingredients: corn starch, sugar, vanilla extract, turmeric and lemon zest. Per the original recipe, you can stir in the lemon zest after you take the thickened curd off the stove. Stir or whisk the mixture on medium heat for two minutes, then turn to low and continue to stir for several minutes until it begins to thicken.

Adding remaining ingredients

Once it has thickened, take the lemon curd off the heat and pour into a container, then let sit for ten minutes before chilling for an hour.

Thickened lemon curd

Once it has been in the refrigerator for at least an hour, it will be set even more. You can use the lemon curd for other things like spreading on toast or muffins, or as a filling to pies and tarts, or as a lemon pudding.

Thick lemon curd

For the parfait, if using a regular orange, peel and segment the orange with a paring knife, removing the membranes and white pith, then chop the orange segments. If using canned mandarin oranges, drain the juice. Either way, place the oranges into a bowl, then toss with the orange liqueur and let sit for about ten minutes.

Grand Marnier and mandarin oranges

Meanwhile, if making your own vegan whipped cream using Soyatoo, open the box and dump the contents into a metal mixing bowl.

Soyatoo whipped cream

Put the mixer on its highest setting and let it go for about three minutes or until the whipped cream is at the desired thickness. Any leftover whipped cream can be stored in the refrigerator, but it should be used within a few days.

Vegan whipped cream

Using a clean and dry wine glass, place about three tablespoons of lemon curd on the bottom. Then spread a dollop or two of whipped cream on top, creating a flat surface. Add the oranges.

Assembling the candy corn parfait

Finally add a nice finish of whipped cream, then serve.

Finishing touches

This is a delicious dessert, but I admit that the Grand Marnier was a bit much. I would have preferred a touch less, or at least allowing the orange segments to drain a bit before placing them into the glass. Still, I think this is a beautiful parfait and perfect to serve to the guests who love citrus desserts.

A sophisticated and vegan candy corn dessert - Happy Halloween!

Are you making anything fun or special for Halloween this year?

Homemade vegan ice cream sandwiches

Officially summer = officially time to make ice cream, even here in the Pacific Northwest. Last week, I finally got my ice cream maker out of its box, cleaned it up and stuck it in the freezer. It was time.

But then I realized I could take my ice cream one step further – ice cream sandwiches. I had never made my own ice cream sandwiches, but it’s really not that hard. It just takes a bit of time and effort, and once you’re done you’re rewarded with some pretty good tasting stuff.

How easy is it? Well, if you’re not up for baking cookies or making your own ice cream, just grab a box of your favorite vegan cookies (any should do) and your favorite vegan ice cream (vanilla is probably best) and start making sandwiches. But if you want to go the homemade route, then read on.

You can make ice cream sandwiches with any cookie. At first I thought I’d go with chocolate chip, and a part of me wanted to go with oatmeal raisin, but then I remembered a recipe for chocolate cookies I had come across a few years ago on FatFree Vegan Kitchen. I only modified the recipe a tad, and they are absolutely perfect for this summer vegan recipe.

Vegan Chocolate Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

• 1 cup unbleached white flour (or to make it gluten-free, use gluten-free baking flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup soy yogurt or vegan milk (if you use vegan milk, you may need to increase the flour by a tablespoon or two)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Sugar or Celtic sea salt, both optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Mix the flour, soda, and salt together and set aside.

Mixing flour, baking soda and salt

In another bowl, mix the cocoa with the granulated and brown sugars and set aside.

Mixing cocoa powder with granulated and brown sugars

Melt the vegan butter in a medium-sized saucepan. When it is completely melted, take it off the heat and add the sugar and cocoa mixture, then stir to combine.

Melting the butter, then adding cocoa mixture to it

Then add the soy yogurt or vegan milk, vanilla extract and balsamic vinegar and stir until mixed.

Mixing together cocoa mixture with vegan milk, balsamic vinegar and vanilla extract

Finally, add the flour mixture and stir just until it’s combined, but don’t over-mix.

The cookie batter finally comes together!

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Chocolate cookies ready to go into the oven

If you want your cookies to be uniformly round, instead grab a spoonful and roll it in your hands for a few seconds then place the cookie ball on the sheet. It will be more perfectly round that way.

Sprinkle lightly with your choice of vanilla sugar or Celtic sea salt (I opted for the latter on about half of the cookies), and place them in the oven.

Adding a sprinkling of Celtic sea salt to my chocolate cookies

After about five minutes, switch the pans around so that the one on top is on the bottom and the front sides are in the back. Check again in another five minutes. Be careful – depending on the type of pan you use, they can go from underdone to burned in seconds. They shouldn’t need more than 11 minutes and will look soft on top, but they’ll harden as they cool. Note that I baked these for a maximum of 10 minutes because I wanted to keep them a little on the chewy side.

Remove from the oven and transfer onto cooling racks.

A mix of small and large cookies, some with salt on top and some without

Next thing I did was make a basic recipe of coconut ice cream. I also doubled this recipe, but it’s really probably not necessary. I still have some ice cream in the freezer that I didn’t use.

The ice cream was still too soft once it was done, so I stuck it in the freezer overnight. I used a metal bowl and just covered it with plastic wrap.

Perfectly frozen coconut ice cream

I then used a melon baller scoop and scooped out a generous amount of ice cream and placed it on the bottom side of a cookie. Take another similarly shaped and sized cookie and place it bottom down on top of the ice cream and press down.

Finally - introducing the ice cream and the cookies so they can party together!

You can either do one of two things:

1. Eat it right away, but it will definitely be more messy because it will melt fast.
2. Stick in your freezer for a few hours, then individually wrap each in plastic wrap and store in your freezer for up to five days.

Yum - vegan ice cream sandwich

These are fantastic, but I would definitely allow a couple of days to prepare if you are making these totally from scratch for a party, picnic or event. I thought I’d be able to make them in one day, but the ice cream really needs to be pretty well frozen to make it easy to put these babies together.

One variation I wish I had tried: blending a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter with the ice cream mixture. That would have been pretty awesome. A good excuse to make them again!

Do you ever make ice cream sandwiches? What is your favorite combo?

Vegan Jam Filled Butter Cookies

Even though I don’t really celebrate Easter, it is one of my favorite holidays. I love it today for the same reasons why I loved it as a kid – the egg-hunting (What do vegans hunt? Tofu? Chocolate? Seitan?), the Easter Bunny, the basket of goodies, the pastels, the flowers. Plus it’s a holiday that always equals springtime to me and I love spring in ways I just don’t love the other seasons of the year.

Despite the fact that I don’t really celebrate like I used to, I still try to acknowledge it through something sweet and delicious. (Remember this crumb cake? To die for!) This year, I had been thinking I wanted to try to make jam-filled butter cookies. I don’t normally gravitate towards these kinds of cookies, but I wanted to expand my horizons. I am so glad I did – these are so super easy and fast to make, delicious and you can make them with most any kind of jam you like. I made these with strawberry jam, but you can make them with raspberry jam (probably best to go with seedless), and I bet orange marmalade would be great, too.

Note: In the first picture in my post you’ll see cookies made with coconut palm sugar, but in the step-by-step photos I am using regular vegan cane sugar. These cookies tasted good both ways, but in my opinion the cane sugar version tasted far better. When using a recipe like this one with so few ingredients, the unique flavor of the coconut palm sugar comes out more and doesn’t taste quite as good. But feel free to experiment!

Vegan Jam-Filled Butter Cookies
Recipe based on Berry Shortbread Dreams from Allrecipes.com

• 1 cup vegan butter, softened
• 2/3 cup vegan sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup of your favorite jam, or a variety of jams

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, cream the vegan butter and sugar. Beat in extract.

Mixing together the vegan butter, sugar and extract

Gradually add your flour until dough forms a ball, then cover and refrigerate for one hour or until easy to handle.

See, this is super fast!

Roll into one-inch balls, then place about one-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets (make sure they are far enough apart as they do flatten in baking).

Rolling cookie dough into one-inch balls

Using the end of a spoon handle or using your thumb, make an indentation in the center.

Be sure to not push all the way down!

Fill each hole with a little jam.

Finally filling the cookies with jam

And they're ready to pop in the oven!

Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. You may spoon additional jam into cookies if desired as they are cooling, but be sure to let them sit out a little while to allow the jam to set and the cookies to fully cool.

Done!

These are perfect for parties – and again so so fast to make. I made a double batch for a fundraiser earlier this year and they were a hit! Good thing I ate a few to taste test beforehand. ;)

A tasty little Easter basket

What is your favorite thing about Easter?

Irish Boxty, vegan-style

When I was a kid, one of the things I most remember about my North Carolina grandmother was her breakfasts. They weren’t exactly healthy and they were most certainly not vegan, but they were rich and delicious. One thing I recall her and my mom making when we’d visit was potato pancakes, usually made with leftover mashed potatoes and eggs (to bind), and for the last several years I have wished I could find a similar no-egg recipe. When I was looking for Irish recipes for St. Patrick’s Day, I kept seeing recipes for Boxty, which is such a common food in Ireland that it even has rhymes and sayings created in honor of it:

Boxty on the griddle, Boxty in the pan, If you don’t eat Boxty, you’ll never get a man.

When I finally took a look, I was pretty excited. Despite the minor differences from what I experienced growing up, this was pretty much the recipe I had been longing for for years, and when learning more about Boxty, I discovered that it doesn’t always have eggs. It’s a bit of work and takes a little time, but it’s so worth it to make every few weeks or months for breakfast – savory, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

My biggest recommendation is that you make mashed potatoes the night before to save time, and a minor suggestion from a personal flavor perspective would be to grate in an onion along with the grated potatoes.

Irish Boxty
Recipe based upon a Boxty recipe on the BBC

• 7-8 small to medium-sized potatoes, cooked, mashed and cold
• 7-8 small to medium-sized potatoes, peeled, grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 1-2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup vegan milk
• Olive oil
• Maple syrup, to serve

First, if you do not already have mashed potatoes available, peel, cube and boil about 7-8 small to medium-sized potatoes until they are tender.

Preparing mashed potatoes for Boxty

Drain and rinse the potatoes under cold water, then cool them down quickly by putting the bowl or container of boiled potatoes on top of some ice and water in another container. This will help to bring the temperature of the cooked potatoes down. Mash the potatoes well, but don’t worry if you still have lumps. To save time, mash the potatoes and refrigerate the night before using in this recipe.

Mashing potatoes for Boxty

Peel and grate your other 7-8 small to medium-sized potatoes, then rinse well.

Grating potatoes

Wrap the grated potato in a clean kitchen towel and/or paper towel and wring well to get rid of any excess liquid.

Removing excess liquid from grated potatoes

Transfer the mashed potato and grated potato to a mixing bowl, then mix until well combined. Add the flour and baking powder to the potato mixture and mix again until well combined. Stir in the melted vegan butter and season, to taste, with about one to two teaspoons salt and a few dashes of black pepper.

Mixing together the potatoes and dry ingredients

Add the vegan milk, a little at a time, to the potato mixture, beating after each addition until the milk has been fully incorporated into the mixture. When all of the vegan milk has been incorporated into the potato mixture, it should resemble a thick, heavy batter. If the mixture is too sticky, add more vegan milk as necessary.

Adding the vegan milk

Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat. Add spoonfuls of Boxty batter into the oil, leaving enough space around each spoonful for the mixture to spread. Fry them on medium to high heat for about five minutes on each side, or until the patties are golden-brown and the grated potato is cooked through.

Frying it up!

Remove the Boxty patties from the pan and set aside to drain on paper towels and keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining Boxty mixture. You may need to continue adding oil each time you add a fresh new batch of batter.

Draining on paper towels

Serve with maple syrup, if desired, and some vegan breakfast meat (I had some yummy Yves breakfast patties). If you refrigerate these for later, you can get them crispy again by sticking them in your toaster oven for about five to 10 minutes or you can warm them up on the stove over medium to medium-high heat for about the same amount of time.

Fried Boxty goodness!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Do you have a favorite Irish recipe?

Vegan Irish Soda Bread

There are two things I associate with St. Patrick’s Day: wearing green and being pinched if you forget to wear green (meanwhile claiming that you are wearing green underwear, so please stop pinching me!). But now that I feel like I am a verifiable amateur home cook, I am now adding a third item to the list – learning how to cook some new Irish recipes every year in March.

I don’t recall ever having Irish soda bread, but I was definitely ready to try it. There are so many variations of this bread, many of which call for eggs, that I wanted to find something that could be veganized without the use of an egg substitute. I was really pleased for two reasons when I came across Nana Dot’s Irish Soda Bread Recipe – first, it had no eggs (yay!) and second, it is a family recipe that comes from Ireland. I love it when I find something that has history and authenticity.

I was also really curious by the list of ingredients. A lot of the recipes I had run across did include things like raisins, but this was the first I had seen using caraway seeds. The recipe had so many rave reviews, though, that I trusted I’d probably like it with the added unusual flavor. The end result was most certainly interesting – very scone-like, not too sweet, and a lot of balanced flavors milling about together. Truthfully it reminded me very much of other European breads I had years ago when studying in Spain, which was a nice thing because it just added to the authenticity of this bread.

Vegan Irish Soda Bread
Adapted from Nana Dot’s Irish Soda Bread Recipe on Allrecipes.com

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup currants (You can substitute raisins if needed.)
• 2 teaspoons caraway seed, optional
• 3/4 cup vegan milk
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two baking sheets (or you may use silicone baking sheets in place of greasing).

Stir or whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly blended.

Whisking together the dry ingredients

Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Cutting in the vegan butter

Stir in the raisins, currants (if using), and caraway seeds (also if using).

Stirring in the raisins and caraway seeds

Make a well in the center of your mixture and pour in the milk and vinegar. Stir with a spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Combining the wet ingredients with the dry

Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface, and knead gently 8 to 10 times.

Kneading helps to combine the remaining dry and wet ingredients

Divide the dough into two balls, and place onto the prepared baking sheets.

Ready to go into the oven!

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven’s heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake until the top of the bread is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. You will bake your soda bread for a total of about 30 minutes, however you may need an extra 5-10 minutes (I should have baked mine for another five minutes at least as it was still a little doughy in the center). Allow the bread to cool before cutting or storing.

Cooling on racks

Cut into wedges, then serve! They are perfect as they are, or you can add vegan butter.

Lots of goodness going on here!

Have you ever made Irish soda bread? What is your favorite variation?

And P.S. Don’t forget to wear green this Thursday!

Stocking stuffer ideas

There are so many great kitchen gifts to give from Kitchenaid mixers to Vitamix blenders, but I realized that the things that I use the most in my kitchen often get ignored around the holidays. These are those things that fill up cupboards and kitchen drawers rather than counter tops, and in some instances do the heavy work in favor of some of those more expensive appliances.

I want to share with you a few of my favorite kitchen essentials (and then some), many of which you’ve seen in action here on Novel Eats. Most of these can fit into a Christmas stocking, and they are all very affordable – you won’t be breaking the bank with any of these items (note that these are current prices, so these may fluctuate).

	Kuhn Rikon 10-Inch Galaxy Spring Whisk Price: $11.95 I’d been relying on the same spring whisk for years, but it had begun to rust, so I decided to purchase a new one. This whisk has been a great replacement, and I love that it has a longer handle for whisking items in deeper saucepans. What I use it for: Making gravies, sauces and mixing drinks like hot cocoa.
	Trudeau Peeler Price: $15.00 In the past I have relied on all-metal peelers, but I saw this in a store a few years ago and decided to give it a try. I LOVE this peeler. It’s so much more comfortable than metal peelers, and that makes a huge difference if you have a mountain of potatoes or apples to peel. What I use it for: Peeling fruits and vegetables.
	Oxo Good Grips Dough Blender Price: $11.99 I have long relied on a wire pastry blender, but it’s easy for the wires to get bent over time or if it gets caught in a drawer. I saw a very similar pastry blender as the one pictured left several months ago and have used that one almost exclusively ever since because it is just so much more sturdy. What I use it for: Making things like biscuits, scones and fruit crisp.
	Microplane Grater/Zester Price: $10.67 I don’t use this very often, but when I need it I am so glad I have it. It’s one of those things that when you don’t have it, you’re cursing yourself for having to come up with a less than ideal alternative that’s usually more work. What I use it for: Grating things like lemon or orange peel.
	Trudeau Silicon Spatula Price: $10.07 I’ve got several different spatulas, but I usually turn to this one. For one thing, it’s one piece – there are no cracks or crevices for food to build up into and make cleaning more challenging. For another, the size of this specific spatula is small, so it’s perfect for smaller jobs. If you don’t want a small spatula, there are a variety of different-sized spatulas available. What I use it for: Mixing batters, making sauces and gravies.
	EatSmart Precision Pro – Multifunction Digital Kitchen Scale Price: $25.00 I never thought that I would need a kitchen scale, and a lot of times I don’t, but I am continually surprising myself and so grateful that I have this. It’s very easy to use and shows different types of weights, including ounces, grams and pounds. I also love the fact that you can eliminate the weight of a bowl or plate, so you’re starting from zero if you need to weigh grains or flours. What I use it for: Gluten-free baking and weighing ingredients that are listed by weight. Also a great tool if you’re monitoring what you’re eating.
	Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat – 11 5/8 by 16 1/2-Inch Price: $17.76 I’d wanted a silicone baking mat for years, but it wasn’t until I saw it in action at a friend’s house that I was actually motivated to buy it. It really is a life saver when it comes to clean up. If you’re tired of scrubbing your baking sheets, you might benefit from owning at least one of these. Thankfully they come in a variety of sizes – and there are other brands, too. What I use it for: Baking anything from cookies to bread to fries.
	Amco Measure Equivalents Magnet Price: $13.63 It used to be that I had to rely on the internet to figure out how many tablespoons were in a cup, but not until I purchased this magnet a few years ago. It’s been a mainstay on my last three refrigerators and is one of the best purchases I’ve made. As someone who often cuts recipes in half or doubles them, especially in baking, it makes a huge difference to me to be able to figure out how many tablespoons I can use instead of cups. What I use it for: In following recipes, and needing to convert from one measurement (i.e. cups) to another (i.e. tablespoons).
	Oxo Good Grips Silicone Flexible Turner Price: $8.99 We have a lot of turners, but when we purchased a nicer set of cookware we decided we wanted a turner that wouldn’t scratch. This turner is perfect because it is both sturdy and it has a protective silicone coating. I also like how it’s a little flexible on the end, making it easier to get under what you’re cooking. What I use it for: Frying, making flat breads like roti and pita, removing cookies from cookie sheets.
	Pyrex Storage 18-Piece Round Set Price: $29.95 These won’t fit in a stocking, but they are still great to give, and the set is really inexpensive. We purchased these a few years ago to replace all of our plastic storage containers, and have liked them so much that we bought a second set. There are four sizes of containers in all, which accommodates most leftovers. What I use it for: Storing leftovers and using as lunch containers.
	5-Pack Reusable Produce Bags Price: $11.00 We have been making an effort for a while now to reduce our plastic usage, and one way we’ve been doing that is by using reusable produce bags instead of the plastic ones when we go shopping. We don’t own this exact set, but we own very similar ones, and they have worked great. The main thing is to try and remember to take them with us when we go shopping. What I use it for: Purchasing produce.
	SunSpire Coconut Premium Dark Chocolate Price: Varies Okay, I know this isn’t a gadget, but every stocking has to have a treat, right? This is currently my favorite candy bar. If you love coconut and dark chocolate, then you’ll love this. It’s similar to Mounds bars, but this is a “healthier” and higher quality version. The price varies, and truthfully I have found this for much cheaper at my local grocery store than what I’m seeing online. Check your organic/natural aisles for this candy bar. What I use it for: What else? A treat! :)

Am I missing anything? What is your favorite kitchen gadget?

Vegan Hot Chocolate

With winter nearly upon us and the holidays in full swing, I have been craving all sorts of hot drinks. In years past I’ve gone the easy route and just created pre-packaged drinks with the most effort being that I boil water. But this year I want to allow myself a little decadence. Those little bags of powdered flavorings and sugar just don’t equate being pampered if you ask me.

Aside from the usual tea and coffee, my first seasonal hot drink was real hot chocolate. Since deciding to learn to make it, I’ve discovered that hot chocolate is not the same as hot cocoa. Hot chocolate is made from chocolate bars, and hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder. The former winds up being thicker, richer and higher in calories – which is of course the one I wanted to make. Plus I’ve had so many chocolate bars burning a hole in my cupboards lately, that I knew I needed to get creative and turn them into delicious drinks.

The following is a very easy recipe, but as soon as you have the chocolate on the stove melting, you’ll need to act fast to avoid having your chocolate burn. It’s so thick and rich, too, that I recommend you serve these in espresso cups.

Vegan Hot Chocolate
Makes about 4 espresso-sized servings
Adapted from the Belgian Hot Chocolate Recipe found on www.davidlebovitz.com

• 1 cup vegan milk
• 3 ounces vegan chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon vegan sugar, optional if you want your drink to be less sweet
• Tiny pinch of salt
• Ground cinnamon, optional
• Vegan whipped topping or vegan marshmallows, optional

Select your chocolate. I used a 3-ounce bar of Sharffen Berger dark chocolate.

I used a 3-ounce Scharffen Berger chocolate bar

Chop or grate your chocolate. Reserve some for garnish if you like.

Chopping a chocolate bar

Warm about one-third of your vegan milk with the chopped chocolate, vegan sugar, and salt, stirring until the chocolate is melted.

The chocolate melts very fast

Whisk in the remaining vegan milk, heating until the mixture is warmed through. Continue to whisk until it is completely melted and the remaining vegan milk is well incorporated.

Whisking the hot chocolate

Remove from heat and pour into cups.

Yum.

Add whatever garnish you like – a dash of cinnamon, a few pieces of the remaining chopped chocolate, vegan whipped topping and/or vegan marshmallows. I added a dash of this lovely Roasted Saigon Cinnamon and some chocolate pieces.

Roasted cinnamon on my hot chocolate

Serve warm. Or turn this into a dessert by letting this sit in the refrigerator for a few hours where it becomes very thick like a pudding and can be eaten with a spoon.

Vegan Hot Chocolate

This so hit the spot. It was decadent, it was smooth, it was warm. Now that I know how to make this, next time I might experiment a bit. I’m thinking cinnamon (not just adding a dash, but mixing it in from the get-go), coffee, vanilla, peppermint…so many ways to continue the deliciousness.

What is your favorite way to have or make hot chocolate?

Happy Thanksgiving from Novel Eats!

No matter what you are doing today, whether you are spending your day cooking or spending a quiet day at home, I hope that today is a day where you experience a deep and joyful thankfulness.

For me, I am thankful for many things.

I am thankful for meeting so many wonderful people over the last couple of months in the food blogging world. I’ve met people who are making big changes that are both getting a great deal of notice and some who are making enormous change quietly in their own communities. I’ve met people who are immensely creative and who are tireless at sharing themselves and their love of food on their blogs. You have each inspired me and made me feel like I can also do more.

I am thankful for living in Washington and I am thankful for having lived in New York City. One year ago this month, I left a vibrant and gritty and wondrous city to follow my soul to a state where the vibrancy is found in the colors of the flowers and trees. I had such amazing experiences in New York, a city like no other, taking me from a naïve college grad to an opinionated and (I’d like to think) responsible adult. But I love Washington. I love it so much I feel it in my blood, like we are long-lost friends who have been apart for far too long.

I am thankful for my family and friends. I am creative because of you, and I am also brought down to earth and reality because of you. You know me at my best and at my worst. Sometimes I look back on the good and the bad and wonder if I’d ever change any of it. But if I did, I would not be who I am. I love who I am.

I am thankful for Novel Eats. Three years is a long time for me to commit to a personal hobby that’s grown into something more than a past-time, but I have stuck with it and I feel like I have become both a better cook and a better writer for it. I hope you’re thankful for it, too.

And finally, I am thankful for you, the person reading my blog at this very moment. Without you I probably would have given this up a long time ago. I cherish your comments, your visits, your support. I never thought I’d have even a handful of visitors, but you have helped to prove me wrong. Thank YOU.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may you have bellies full of joy and delicious homemade food today!

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.