Tofu in Peanut Curry Sauce (Vegan recipe)

How much has happened since I was last on here? A lot I guess...

Turning 17, Loon Lake, friends, semester 2, Coppelia, stretch & strength, choir, spring break, Great Wolf Lodge, Dance Magic, Dance Power... yup it's been a while.

I wonder what brought me back here?

I think it was because an awesome friend from choir told me she used a couple recipes in her Baking class from this blog. I mean, seriously!? People know about this!? I felt happy, proud, touched, but also guilty for never being consistent when I told myself I would be at the beginning... and I also missed it.

I still cook/bake when I can, but not like I used to. It's a busy week every week and when I do make something delicious I never have the time to whip out the ancient digital camera and take 40 pictures to get a couple in focus...I wish I had though, there were some pretty yummo stuff I didn't capture.

Lulu came over for dinner and a movie today. She thinks I'm amazing at cooking which is really being too kind with words and stretching the truth a bit but I do enjoy it so I decided to make dinner. Two veggie friends is no problem to cook for! I found a recipe for chicken in peanut sauce but decided to substitute the chicken with tofu and some added veggies. This is my adapted recipe below...I think I changed it enough to call my own! It's really delicious...its sweet but spicy, creamy from the peanut butter but also bold and hearty. I omitted the chopped peanuts as I didn't have any on hand but it would have added a very nice texture to the sauce. Serve over steamed rice and enjoy! It's super easy and good if you want to change it up to your liking. Enjoy!

Tofu in Peanut Curry Sauce serves 4

olive oil
250 g firm tofu, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 serrano pepper, sliced (optional, adds some heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small potatoes, cubed
1/2 cup cauliflower florets

200 ml tomato puree (I pulsed canned drained tomatoes in the food processor)
100 ml orange juice
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar (or honey if not vegan)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
chopped peanuts (optional)
fresh parsley (optional)


Combine tomato puree, orange juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder and ginger in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth.

Heat oil in a skillet over med-high heat; cook garlic, serrano pepper, and tofu until browned. Pour sauce mixture into same skillet, lower heat to medium-low. Add vegetables and cover. Let simmer for 30 minutes, adding water as time passes to suit preferred consistency.

After simmering, stir in chopped peanuts if using and use some fresh parsley for garnish. Serve over steamed rice!

Traditional Almond Biscotti and My Resolutions

Happy New Years! I can't believe it's 2012 already, what a fast year it was...hopefully this one will be even better :)

I made some New Year's resolutions yesterday, pretty big decisions, but they are very health-oriented and I'm excited to start on a new road to health. My #1 resolution is to eat vegan foods at least 5 days a week. Part-time vegan I guess! (Haha) Why only 5 days? Well, this was the compromise between myself and my family- it's so it's not too difficult to incorporate me into family gatherings and dinners or social events where there may be dairy, eggs, etc. Hopefully this resolution will guide me to a healthier eating habit, and of course, it is better for the earth. :)

My second resolution is to get back into hot yoga classes. I remember how great those classes made me feel, so light, cleansed, and strong- I'd be excited to get back into that. What a great way to flush out some toxins.

My third resolution may be a product of the first two, and I'm hoping it will help me achieve this goal. My ballet gala performance is near the end of February, and I have a goal to achieve a weight that is 7-10 lbs lighter. I really hope to look trim for that performance, and also, my costume measurements were taken 3 months ago, when I was 10 lbs lighter! There's some work to do! I'm aiming to work away at it with healthier, wholesome foods, and lots of exercise. I'm saving up money for a new gym membership and hot yoga classes at the moment. It's time for a fresh start.

And of course the other resolutions...be a nicer person to everyone, think positive thoughts, maintain a clean room...I guess those are important too... :)

Wishing everyone a Happy 2012, and luck on achieving your resolutions!


Recipe: I made these biscotti for Christmas to give away as little treats. Traditional biscotti do not contain any oil and are very hard! The original recipe calls for 10 minutes of baking on each side, but I recommend 20 minutes. They are very yummy, not too sweet, and perfect for dunking in your coffee. Although they are not vegan, they are very low-fat cookies. You can choose to dip or drizzle them with melted chocolate.

Almond Biscotti

1 cup whole almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (or more vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place almonds on a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Chop coarsely and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs and extracts. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in your stand mixer. Gradually add egg mixture and mix until a dough forms, adding the almonds halfway. On a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a log 35 cm long and 8-10 cm wide. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake for 35-40 minutes until firm. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

On a cutting board, cut the log diagonally using a serrated bread knife (smooth sawing motion) into cookies that are 1/2 inch thick. Place them onto the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the biscotti over and bake on other side for another 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, and eat with coffee!

Variations: you can use hazelnuts or walnuts in place of the almonds. You can also add 1 tbsp of orange zest to the egg mixture for an orange-almond biscotti. You can also add half almonds, half dried cranberries, and orange zest for an cranberry orange almond biscotti!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Merry Christmas! Hope you all have a WONDERFUL day surrounded by family and people you love. Make sure to take lots of pictures, laugh lots, give thanks, eat lots of food, and help mum with the clean-up afterwards! I hope the New Year brings everyone lots of happiness and a fresh clean start; make a resolution! Best wishes in 2012! xoxo

Not quite a festive post but hey, it ain't snowing either. I baked these muffins for two of my closest friends and their family this year. I don't know why I thought 'muffins' were appropriate (it's usually sugar cookies, or gingerbread men for Xmas right?) but somehow banana-chocolate-chip came into mind when I thought of them. Well, here's the recipe if you guys ever want to make these yummy muffins! (They're both amazing bakers, too.)

Happy Holidays everyone!


Liann and Lauren's Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins makes 12 muffins

3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter/margarine)
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (you can sub some whole-wheat if you like)
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup-1 cup chocolate chips, as desired (or white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, etc. I subbed half walnuts half chocolate chips!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard muffin tin with muffin liners.

Combine all the dry ingredients (minus chocolate chips) in a medium bowl. In another bowl, beat in eggs with oil. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture, followed by mashed bananas. Mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts if using.

Equally fill each muffin tin (1/4 cup of batter is perfect) and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean. Cool slightly on cooling rack before eating.

Baked Donut Holes

These healthier "donuts" taste incredibly like their fried counterparts! The nutmeg and cinnamon really do their job here! Great with coffee or for a mid-afternoon snack! I baked mine in a mini muffin tin to resemble little "tim-bits" but you can bake them in a standard muffin tin for a larger size.

Recipe from Good Life Eats

Baked Donut Holes
1 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup oil (for low fat version, I've used half oil, half applesauce and the results were fantastic)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

Topping:
1/4 cup butter (I used low-fat tub margarine)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease mini or standard muffin tin. Combine first five ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together egg, oil, sugar, and milk. Add dry ingredients, and mix only to incorporate. If using a standard muffin tin, pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each tin. If using a mini, pour 2 tbsp of batter for each tin.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, the mini muffin tins should bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until tooth pick comes out clean.
Meanwhile melt 1/4 cup butter in microwave. In a shallow dish, combine sugar and cinnamon. While the donuts are still hot, roll them in the melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Repeat with remaining donuts and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. :)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Cute icing sugar crinkly top, slightly crispy edges, and extremely fudgey center. I think that pretty much sums up this cookie! Oh, and I think they're really festive too- they're also called Chocolate Snowballs!

Super easy to make, and a great recipe if you are letting your little ones help you out! This recipe has TONS of chocolate...which is why they are so awesome. :)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies makes about 3 dozen cookies

6 ounces (180 grams) semisweet chocolate or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (also known as icing sugar/powdered sugar)

Melt chocolate in a saucepan over simmering water (I just melted it sans water) and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, then chocolate. Reduce speed to low and add in the flour mixture until a dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in freezer for 30-60 minutes until the dough is firm to touch.

Make ahead: the dough can be refrigerated for up to three days prior to rolling and baking.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough with your hands into little balls, then coat with icing sugar. Make sure to fully coat the dough (I rolled mine in icing sugar 2-3 times. Repeat with remaining dough. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. They will look underdone, but when cooled, will be nice and chewy. Cool for 3 minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Soft Pillowy Pretzels (Vegan option)

This batch of soft pretzels is my very first success at making yeasted breads! Up until now, I've never had much success with the whole frothing, rising, doubling, kneading business! But these came out so soft and fluffy, I couldn't believe it!

The method includes letting the dough rise, as well as dunking the formed pretzels into water that is boiling with LOTS of baking soda! I call it the baking soda bath because wow was that pot of water ever fizzy. Dunking the pretzels before baking made them puff up really big.

I made half with a non-vegan topping (cheese, jalapenos, and minced garlic) and the other half with cinnamon sugar - my fave! This is the recipe for the cheesy one, I'll leave a note for the vegan version down below as well.

If you have some extra time on your hands this break, these are a must-try. Man, were they good!

Soft Pretzels makes 8

-1 1/2 cup warm water
-1 tsp salt
-1 tbsp sugar
-2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
-4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-1/4 cup olive oil, more for oiling bowl

For Dunking:
-10 cups water
-2/3 cup baking soda

Egg Wash (optional- makes the pretzels golden, glazy, and shiny)
-1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tbsp water

Spicy Cheese Garlic Topping:
-1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
-minced garlic to taste
-1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes scraped out, minced


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, sugar, and salt. Sprinkle the yeast over this mixture and let sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture starts to foam at the top.

Add the flour and olive oil, mixing at low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and let the machine knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until it no longer sticks to the bowl. Remove the dough and transfer to a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a relatively warm place for 55-65 mins.

Preheat oven to 450 F (I find 425 F is enough for a convection oven) When the dough has risen to twice its size, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece out to a 2 ft long rope, and twist to make a pretzel shape (or any shape you wish :P) Repeat with remaining dough.

Bring 10 cups of water to a boil with baking soda. Dunk pretzels in one at a time, let boil for 30 seconds, then transfer to a lined baking sheet with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the other pretzels.

Brush egg wash over pretzels if you wish, and sprinkle cheese, garlic, and jalapeno on top. Bake in oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving!

**Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Topping Pretzels**

Omit egg wash. When pretzels have come out of the oven, brush over the tops with melted coconut oil, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top.

Cinnamon sugar (1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon)

Cheesecake, a wholesome healthy superfood? Shut the front door! Raw Lemon Cashew 'Cheesecake' (Vegan)

I'VE MISSSSSSSSSED YOOOOOOOOOOOOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D

Aw man, I've been missing out on blogging, but YOU (whoever reads this blog anyway which is probably a very minimal amount) have been missing out on so many cool recipes because I haven't been posting them! I've been cooking occasionally, but I just haven't been taking photos or writing about it! It's been so busy...I can't believe what a stressful year this is turning out to be! Hopefully I'll be making those things again and posting it soon! So many awesome baked goodies and other healthful stuff :)

On the diet note, it took me about 2 weeks for my system to start accepting dairy, and meats again- I've been mainly taking in my protein from whey protein powder, soy, egg whites, and whole grains like oats and quinoa.

How does the high-protein diet feel compared to the vegan diet? Um, only like 100 times better! Although the vegan diet was much cleaner, it made me lose a lot of weight...and although I had lots of energy, it usually wouldn't sustain throughout my long dance hours. I was cold ALL the time, always shivering, never sweat once, and to be honest, always hungry. I don't know how all those vegan runners and athletes @CCK or @Oh She Glows does it. Maybe you have to get used to it and do it for years and years.

The protein diet. The first thing I noticed right off the bat is that it kept me full for hours and HOURS. I mean, a protein shake in the morning kept me going until lunch. A quinoa bake at lunch kept me full for 6 hours. I was really surprised that I didn't have to keep eating ALL THE TIME like I did last month.

I stopped shivering. I wasn't cold anymore! And because I'm restricted to less foods, I did put on a healthy 10+ lbs. I know. It seems like a lot, but I'm back at my set point weight. (Y)

Okay enough about that. I'm going to talk about this recipe...ok ok it's vegan but it's way cool and I've been so fascinated by the phenomenon that is RAW FOODS. Did you know there are people who devote their life to eating raw foods? It's this crazy diet and it's getting more and more popular. These people ONLY eat raw, so instead of owning a stove or oven, they have dehydrators hehe. they don't even eat dairy or anything that's been pasteurized. They do this because once you heat a food over 40 celsius, it loses its full nutrition. By eating raw, you are getting all the good stuff!

So this 'cheesecake'...it's so FAR from the real thing but it tastes SO MUCH like the real thing. SO bizarre. The ingredients are 100% raw, wholesome, and healthy and nutritious. Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, corn-free, and 100% raw.

Soaking the cashews increases your body's absorption of the vitamins & minerals, and neutralizes enzyme inhibitors that are present in raw nuts. It also makes the blending process easier so it's a must. Soak in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight.

The Skinny on Coconut Fat (Cited from My New Roots): Coconut oil does contain saturated fat, but lucky for us, it comes in the form of medium-chain triglycerides (or MCTs). This type of fat differs from the types of fat we normally consume from both plant and animal sources, which are long-chain triglycerides (or LCTs). Without getting too technical, MCTs are easily digested, absorbed, and utilized in the body because their molecules are smaller than those from LCTs. This means that unlike other fats, they require less energy and fewer enzymes to break them down for digestion. They are an excellent choice of fat for active people and athletes as MCTs digest immediately to produce energy and stimulate metabolism. They are also ideal for those who suffer from digestive disorders and are often given in hospitals to provide nourishment for critically ill people who have trouble digesting fat.

It wasn't easy finding coconut oil in Vancouver! I found it in most health and vitamin stores, but they were really expensive! I found a small jar at Thrifty Foods for $7.99. It is the Spectrum Organic brand. Coconut oil is white and solid at room temperature; for this recipe you will need to melt on low heat (below 40 Celsius) it so it is clear and liquid.
This cake was creamy, tangy (from the lemon- it really does make it taste like cheesecake!), and the crust tasted so coconuttily sweet! I couldn't believe it was so nutritious!

Raw Lemon Cashew Cheesecake serves 8

original recipe from Anja's Food 4 Thought

Crust

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 3/4 cup dried dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp water

Filling

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 4 hours or more
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• 1/4 cup agave syrup, or raw honey (not vegan), OR maple syrup (not raw)

Line the bottom and sides of a 9" cake pan with a removable bottom (springform pan).

Crust: Pulse the almonds in a food processor until fine. Add dates, shredded coconut, and water until a dough forms. You should be able to pinch the dough and it will stick together. Spread the crust on the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Set aside.

Filling: Drain the cashews and add it into a food processor or blender along with coconut oil, lemon juice, and agave. Blend/puree until smooth and creamy. Spread on top of crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1.5 hours- 2 hours.

To serve, take it out of the freezer, cut it into 8 pieces while frozen, and then let it thaw in the fridge for 1 hour or leave it out at room temperature to thaw for 20 minutes. It's great with some strawberry puree! I pureed some strawberries, raw honey, and a tsp of lemon juice together. We all loved it!

I hope you can try this sometime...raw foods are SO cool.

The David Kirsch New Yorker's Diet

the book I'm reading now

that's Heidi Klum people!!!!

The basic run-down of this type of diet is simple minus all the scientific facts about how this food spikes up your blood sugar which leads to ____________ or how having fruit in the morning increases insulin which leads to hunger yada yada yada.

David Kirsch's diet and body plan consists of two things, really. Eat well, and exercise well. He has an A, B, C, D, E, and F or "forbidden foods". They consist of:

A: Alcohol, a calorie-dense carbohydrate

B: Bread- a binge starter, with empty carbs that spike your blood sugar sending your body into 'fat storage mode' and increasing your hunger. With Bread includes many carbohydrates such as crackers as well.

C: Starchy Carbs- potatoes, root vegetables, carrots, rice, pasta, corn

D: Dairy- contains lactose which is usually hard to digest for most people and lead to bloating

E: Extra sweets- leads to carb cravings. Oh boy.

F: Fruit and most fats- fruit contains high amounts of fructose and calories. Fats are forbidden except for the 'good' fats found in oils such as flax seeds.

In a nutshell, this is a crash-diet with a span of 2 weeks included with DAILY work-out routines (that consist of 45 minutes of cardio, and 45 minutes of cardio sculpting-legs, butt, arms, abs, etc) that deprives you of wholesome foods, any carbohydrates, fruits, and even starchy vegetables. It is also a high protein diet that includes a high-protein source in each meal and snack. A typical day looks like this:

Breakfast: Protein shake

Mid-Morning: Egg white fritatta with spinach and mushrooms

Lunch: Tuna Salad

Mid-Afternoon: Cup of Vegetable Soup

Dinner: Protein shake or Turkey Chili

Because I have no intentions of going on a crash-diet and losing 10 lbs in 2 weeks, I am adhering to his plan loosely as I did before and trying the different recipes in his book as well as his exercises! I've recently purchased an exercise ball (it's pink!), medicine balls, and a skiprope. With winter soon coming at us, it'll be a good way to keep in shape without having to run in the snow! The only intention that I have with this diet plan is to stick to a high protein/low carb diet, as that is something I am completely unfamiliar with. I actually started off today with a protein shake that kept me full for 6 hours. Definitely something that's never happened to me before! I quite like it!