Let's make some ribz!

I will be teaching a vegan cooking class on
Thursday July 1, 2010
6:30-8:30pm
VEGAN BARBECUE!
Ribz, macaroni salad, and more!
Space is limited, so call Ellena to reserve a space!
FREE! FREE! FREE!

Whole Foods Market
2655 Pacific Coast Hwy
Torrance, CA 90505 USA
Phone 310.257.8700

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Here's a really sneak, sneak preview of one of the recipes in Celine and my next book, Hearty Vegan!

Fluffy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes from Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites.

These bad boys cook up nice and fluffy.  Just as good, or BETTER than any non-vegan version you've ever had!

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
1 1/2 cups (355 ml) soymilk
3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (8 g) Ener-G Egg Replacer powder
1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
3 tablespoons (42 g) nondairy butter, melted
1 cup (145 g) fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
In a small bowl mix together soymilk, lemon juice, and vanilla, it will curdle and become like buttermilk.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg replacer and warm water until foamy.
Add egg replacer to buttermilk mixture.
Add wet ingredients into dry and mix until batter just comes together.
Mix in melted butter.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. If not using a nonstick skillet, melt a little bit of nondairy butter in the pan to prevent sticking.
Ladle about 1/2 cup (5 ounces, 140 g) of batter into the pan.
Sprinkle a handful of blueberries into the pancake.
When batter begins to bubble, flip as you would any pancake.
Cook until golden brown.
Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.

Yield: Six 6-inch (15 cm) pancakes

Jason Ellis on peta2

I knew there was a reason I loved this guy! CHeck out more at EllisMania.


Learn more about Jason Ellis at peta2.com.

Cold Multigrain Salad

Here's a sneak-peak at one of the recipes from The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, it will be in the chapter about substituting fat in your diet. This one has no added fats!

This Cold Multigrain Salad has no added fats and is full of nutrition.

Cold Multigrain Salad
Low Fat-Corn Free-Nut Free

WARNING: This makes a butt ton of salad...really. Like, so much you can take it to "Food Not Bombs" and feed all of downtown. I make this salad when I am going to a potluck or get together and let the old ladies swoon at the fact that it has less than 1 gram of fat per serving with 2 grams of fiber and 2.5 grams of protein and only 75 calories, which means it only has 1 WW point!

For the Salad:
1 cup dry pearled barley
1 cup dry red quinoa (white will work just fine as well)
1 cup dry wild rice blend
1/3 cup (1 ounce, 28 g) finely chopped green onion
1 shallot, diced
1 bell pepper, cored and seeded, diced (any color is fine)
2 tablespoons (30 g) minced garlic
1 ounce (28 g) finely chopped fresh parsley (about 1 packed cup)

For the dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup Agave nectar
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the salad, first prepare all of your grains. This can take awhile, so it's best to do some of the work in advance. For barley, the ratio is 1 cup barley to 3 cups lightly salted water. For the rice and the quinoa the ratio is 1 cup grain to 2 cups lightly salted water. It is not recommended to cook the grains together. You can, however, cook them in the oven at the same time. Mix the proper ratios, each into a separate covered oven safe casserole and bake at 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) until water is absorbed and grains are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Fluff with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Once grains are prepared, mix them all together in a large mixing bowl. Add in the green onion, shallot, bell pepper, garlic and parsley.

To make the dressing, whisk togehter the vinegar, Bragg's, agave, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a separate small bowl.

Add dressing to salad, and toss to mix.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Yield: 24 servings

Peanut Butter Rocky Road Pound Cakes

I made these last weekend for the Worldwide Vegan Bakesale...the recipe made 8 mini loaves.

3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour
1 cup (80 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
1 tablespoon (12 g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups (470 ml) nondairy milk
1 1/2 (300 g) cups sugar
1 (6 ounce) container nondairy yogurt
1/2 cup (120 g) nondairy sour cream
1/2 cup (128 g) creamy no-stir peanut butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) canola oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) pure vanilla extract

1 (10 ounces, 280 g) vegan marshmallows, such as Dandies
1 cup (120 g) pecan or walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).
Spray 8 mini loaf pans with nonstick spray.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together wet ingredients.
Add wet to dry and mix.
Fold in marshmallows and walnuts.
Fill loaf pans 3/4 full.
Place the loaf pans on a baking sheet while baking to help prevent a mess if the marshmallows boil over.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Yield: 8 mini loaves

Note: Make it pretty!
Reserve 3 or 4 marshmallows and a small handful of nuts to place on top of each loaf before baking, for extra gooey roasted marshmallow tops.

Vegan Bakesale this Sunday

I am proudly participating this Sunday, May 2, from 11am-2pm at LOCALI in Los Angeles.


Come out and support two awesome charities, PAWS/LA and KITTEN RESCUE.

What could be easier? Get some awesome vegan baked goods, AND help support the animals at the same time!

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions

Now available for Preorder! Woohoo!

The Double-Take

Inspired by the ultra artery clogging new sandwich from the ultra disgusting KFC, the Double Down. Made with my own blend of seven herbs and spices, I served these up to the folks over at the Jason Ellis show and even the producer, Stretch, who is a really big meat eating man's man, said it tasted like real chicken...so, there. Thanks to Gardein, the realistic chicken part was easy.

Easter Eggs!

Cruelty free Easter eggs! These are fun if you have little ones or even for yourself. They are slightly reminiscent of those Cadbury ones, but the filling is not nearly as runny.

These also make a mean peppermint patty, so you don't have to wait until Easter to enjoy them! As a matter of fact, you can sub any flavor into the center and make a variety of chocolates.

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
A few drops yellow food coloring, optional
Extra powdered sugar for dusting
12 ounces nondairy semisweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, mix together corn syrup and vanilla. Begin adding in sugar one cup at a time. Work in the sugar until you get a dough that is the consistency of play-dough.

Divide into thirds. Add yellow food coloring to 1/3 of the dough. Divide that 1/3 into 12 even pieces and roll into small balls. Dust with extra powdered sugar as you work to prevent them from getting too sticky. Place on a sheet of parchment or wax paper and set aside.

Divide the remaining 2/3 into 12 equal pieces and form into small patties. Once again dusting with powdered sugar as you work.

Add one "yolk" into the center of each patty and wrap the patty around it. Form into an egg shape, Dusting as you work. Place on parchment or waxed paper and place in the freezer to stiffen up before you dip them in the chocolate, about an hour or so.

While your "eggs" are freezing, you can melt your chocolate, either on a double boiler or in the microwave.

Dip each egg in chocolate and return to wax paper to cool and harden. You can place them back in the freezer to speed up the process if you'd like.

Yield: A dozen "eggs"

Variations:
Peppermint Patties: Instead of dividing into thirds, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of peppermint extract to the corn syrup and vanilla before adding the sugar. Add a little green food color (optional). Divide into 24 equal pieces and form into patties. Follow the recipe from there.

Lemon or Orange Candies: Get creative with the flavors! Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon or orange (or almond or anise or cinnamon...) extract instead of the peppermint. Add a touch of yellow or orange food color, or whatever color matches the flavor you use to make a variety.

Jason Ellis wants more Vegan Pizza!

So...I'm off to deliver it. For those of you who came here after hearing me on the show, below is the recipe for the pizza. For those of you who already follow me, sorry, this is a repeat!

THE JASON ELLIS SHOW M-F 12n-4pm PST on Sirius FACTION 28

For the Crust:
1/4 ounce (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
additional olive oil

Mix together yeast, sugar and warm water. Let stand ten minutes.
In a mixing bowl, mix together flours and salt. Add in yeast mixture, water and olive oil. Adding more all purpose flour if too wet, more water if too dry, a little bit at a time. Your goal is a soft elastic dough ball that is easy to handle and not sticky.
Knead for about 10 minutes.
Divide into two, form into a ball. Brush with a light coat of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for one hour.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Punch down the dough, knead an additional 2-3 minutes and form into a pizza crust.
Bake with your favorite toppings for about 10 minutes, or until crust is a nice golden brown.

Yield: 2, 10 inch crusts

For the Pepperoni:
1 cup (96 g) dry TVP granules
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (6 g) ground black pepper, depending on your heat preference
1 tablespoon (7 g) paprika
1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or dried chipotle powder
1 cup (235 ml) water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) liquid smoke

In a microwave safe bowl, mix together TVP with all of the herbs and spices.Stir in water, oil and liquid smoke.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for about 6 minutes.
Carefully remove from microwave, and allow to cool enough to handle.
Alternately, mix spices together with TVP.
Bring water to a boil, add in oil and smoke, stir into TVP and spice mixture, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and use to top your pizza, or stuff a calzone!

I use Tomato Basil pasta sauce for the sauce and Daiya Shredded Vegan Cheese for the cheese.

ENJOY!