Filed under: to make once the electricity in my August sublet is turned on.

: )

Vegan Strawberry Shortcake via Honest Fare

NEW FAVORITE COOKIE ALERT!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles.

via Post Punk Kitchen (meaning they’re va-va-va-Vegan).

A cookie that delivers chewy, chocolate-y goodness with a kick. PS: I used dark cocoa here in place of the regular stuff.

Cookbook Crush of the Week= The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat by Tal Ronnen

This weekend, after a canceled nanny job, I found myself floating toward Border’s. (Really, I lose all control of my actions anytime I’m within 1 mile of a decent bookshop.) Normally when I head into a bookstore I can kiss a few hours goodbye and this time was no exception, thanks, in large part, to Mr. Tal Ronnen.

Obviously Ronnen has mad cooking chops—in addition to catering Ellen and Portia’s wedding, he has played chef for Oprah and Ariana Huffington. I can also say without a moment of hesitation that this is a good cookbook. Not a good vegan cookbook, a good anyfood cookbook. Ronnen features chefs he admires (some vegan, some not so much vegan) and breaks down his favorites from root vegetables to powerfoods. Oh, and the photos are great, too.

[photo via Amazon]

These guys are a dream.

Caramel Apple-Spice Cupcakes with Caramel-Penuche Frosting

(recipe via Veganomicon)

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 2 tart cooking apples (G. Smith)
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. non hydrogenated vegan margarine (Earth Balance)
• 1 c. soy milk (I used almond…)
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1/3 c. canola oil
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 t. grated lemon zest
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t. ground nutmeg

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
2. Core and dice the apples into small pieces (leave the skin on).
3. Heat the brown sugar and margarine in a heavy skillet until it begins to bubble, then add the apple pieces. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally for about 12 minutes. (Until the apples are fully caramelized.) Remove from heat and cool a bit before moving on.
4. In a large bowl whisk together the milk and lemon juice. Set aside and let it curdle. (You’re substituting for buttermilk here.)
5. Add the canola oil, sugar, zest, and vanilla and beat well.
6. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Combine.
7. Fold in the apples.
8. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way through and bake for 20-22 minutes. Use the toothpick test if you’d like.

Frosting ingredients:

• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 3 T. non hydrogenated vegan margarine
• 1 T. molasses
• 1/3 c. soy creamer or soy milk
• 2 T. plain or vanilla soy milk powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. chopped, roasted peanuts for sprinkling

Frosting Directions:

1. Combine sugar, margarine, molasses, milk, powdered soy milk, and salt in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil. Allow the mixture to boil and foam for 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. When the mixture has cooled for a little, mix in half of the powdered sugar and all of the vanilla. Beat for 2-3 minutes or until creamy.
3. Slowly beat in the last half of the sugar, until fudge like frosting forms.
4. Try and frost while the frosting is warm.
5. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts if you’d like.

Notes:

• Penuche is similar to fudge. Most people have a recipe for it somewhere in the family. Penuche is the Meryl Streep of the fudge world.
• I added a few extra T. of milk to the frosting mixture and omitted the milk powder. Still delicious.
• This is a perfect example of how vegan cuisine is not necessarily healthy. In this case, delectably and perfectly unhealthy. Man oh man. They are dangerous. I made these on a whim…no event, no one to gift the cakes of cup to. Simply put, I’m screwed.
• The inside of mine have a bit of red tinge. I’m blaming this on the fact that I used terribly cheap cinnamon. Not so sure about that one though.

Back to the Oscars. Anyone have thoughts on the mussy-fuzzed up-baby hair trend*?

*See: SJP, Miley and Jenny from the Block.

[Vegan] Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin/Chocolate Chip Cookies by Veganomicon*

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. canola oil
• 1/3 c. brown rice syrup (aka: the best stuff on earth. F’real, snapple.)
• 1/3 c. soy/rice/almond milk (one of the three)
• 3/4 c. light brown sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 t. allspice
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 c. rolled oats (old fashioned or instant…not steel cut)
• 1 1/2 c. Thompson raisins (or chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly grease cookies sheets (or line them with parchment)
2. Combine oil, brown rice syrup, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla and beat or whisk until smooth.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt and add to wet mixture and combine just until dough begins to form.
4. Fold in the oats and raisins (or chocolate chips).
5. Roll the dough into balls and set 2 in. apart on the cookie sheet. Press down gently with the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies a bit.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
7. Remove and let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the sheet before moving to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 35 small cookies. (The recipe said 30…depends on your sizing preference.)

Notes:

• Be sure to wet the glass a little before you press down on the cookies. They may stick a little.
• I made these with chocolate chips (because they’re a gift and more often than not our gen isn’t into raisins) but I think with all the allspice they may be better with raisins. They’re still pretty delicious, though.
• Vegan baking rocks. Cream the butter/sugar for 3 minutes? Nope. Sayonara beaters!

*My cookbook crush of the week.