Red Velvet Cupcakes with Airy Cream Cheese Frosting (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Artificial Dyes)

August 14, 2014theleafycauldron Leave a comment

I saw a programme last night where someone was turning their nose up at beets. In addition to fussy eaters being a major pet peeve of mine, I also happen to think beets are amazing. I had to fight to acquire the taste for the earthy, sweet, warm root vegetable and every step of that process was worth it. Sometimes I use food dyes and sometimes I don’t. Do what works for you and don’t worry about the rest. Don’t worry, though, these cupcakes taste nothing like beets.

If you’re not on Team Beet, here are my best suggestions to getting used to them: Focus on how wonderfully sweet they are. Try them in a fresh juice mix; apple, orange, carrot and beet is what converted me. Try the red beet’s milder sibling, the golden beet, roasted or puréed into a soup. Try them raw, shredded onto a salad or a sandwich! I find the earthy tones are not nearly as present when they’re raw. Do you love preserves? Eat pickled beets!

Not that this matters when it comes to this cupcake, of course! We’re just using beets for their naturally incredible colours. To save your hands some trouble, boil or steam the beets whole. Run them under cold water once they’re soft and the skin will easily peel off, with no knife necessary. The end result is a moist, somewhat dense cupcake with a fun colour somewhere between red and fuschia. I’ve topped mine with a very airy cream cheese frosting, but do what you like.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Makes 24 mini (or 12 regular)

1 1/4 cup all purpose gluten-free flour (Here is mine; brown rice flour leads to a smoother end product)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup puréed red beets (I used two small ones; boiled and peeled after)
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons non-dairy sour cream (or sub silken tofu)
1 tablespoon high quality vanilla extract
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil (sub any neutral oil)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare your cupcake tin with liners. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a blender or food processor, blend the beets until they are smooth. Add the non-dairy milk, non-dairy sour cream and blend again until smooth. Add the vanilla, vinegar and oil and blend until you have a smooth liquid. It’s going to be a fun colour. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan; one tablespoon for mini or two tablespoons for regular. Bake for ~20 minutes, until the tops spring back at your light touch. Cool on a baking rack.

Airy Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup non-dairy cream cheese, softened (I like Tofutti)
1/4 cup non-dairy margarine, softened
1 teaspoon high quality vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, non-dairy margarine and vanilla until light and smooth. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar and beat until the frosting forms stiff peaks. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Quickie Lasagna for Two (Vegan, Gluten-free and a Soy-Free Option)

August 8, 2014theleafycauldron 1 Comment

I have to admit, I’m a little burnt out. As a result of that and in addition to my usual lack of energy, this means that dinners are falling to the wayside. Luckily, a friend’s request for lasagna struck a chord with me and led to inspiration. Why not use already prepared ingredients from a standard olive bar or preserve aisle to stuff the layers full?!

In the two times I’ve made lasagna since moving in with my husband, I’ve not has success. It’s led me to think of lasagna as something that is too much work. The first time I went all out and used a nice lentil-tomato sauce. I love lentils in my pasta sauces! But hey. he’s allergic to lentils. That was a big pan with no one to eat it. The second time, I scaled back the ingredients and kept it super simple – nothing but cheezes and homemade tomato sauce. It still didn’t work out. We toyed with the idea that he was allergic to tomatoes, especially when they were cooked and reduced for a long time, but his reactions were inconsistent. In the past few months, we actually pinpointed the allergy to BASIL. Of course! Basil is in the majority of tomato sauces! Ingredients’ lists don’t often say the specific herbs and spices, so this was a really hard one to figure out! Point is, we’re here and we have now had our first successful pan of lasagna. I wanted this to be as low prep as possible, a small portion (in case it didn’t work out) but still chock-full of goodies. My absolute favourite part is the soft, sweet onion slices that start to caramelize in the sauce while it’s cooking in the oven.

In a bizarre twist, my small pan is 8.5 x 7, but you go ahead and use an 8 x 8 pan. Now, please enjoy this really quick recipe for a fun pasta dish while I try to enjoy my first wedding anniversary.

Quickie Lasagna For Two
Serves 2, generously

6 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
2 cups pasta sauce, your choice, I used my vodka sauce
1 small sweet onion, sliced into thin rounds (I used Cipollini onions)
2 cups frozen spinach, thawed (or fresh, shredded)
1 cup marinated small mushrooms (sub canned mushrooms)
1/2 cup marinated eggplant. drained (spicy or not)
1 cup vegan ricotta, tofu or cashew (My quick tofu recipe to follow)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread 3/4 cup tomato sauce in the bottom. Lay out the slices of onion over the top of the sauce and then the spinach over that. Spread 3 lasagna noodles over that. Carefully press 1/2 of the ricotto over the noodles. Lay out the marinated mushrooms, then the eggplant. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of sauce over that. One more layer of noodles, followed by the rest of the sauce. Top with the rest of the ricotta. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Finish with black pepper. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Tofu (or Cashew) Ricotta

225 g firm tofu (or raw cashews, soaked, drained and pulsed until crumbly)
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Crumble the tofu until no large pieces remain. Stir the remaining ingredients in. Let sit, so the flavours can co-mingle, for as long as you have. You can use it immediately, though.

Quick Vegan Vodka Sauce (Gluten-Free and Soy-Free)

August 8, 2014theleafycauldron Leave a comment

I don’t understand the food science behind why vodka sauce is delightful, but it absolutely is, in all its silky glory. This post doesn’t need much of a preamble, really. I’ve made it for an upcoming lasagna post, so it was all ready by the time the pasta had cooked. My husband is allergic to basil, so I’ve subbed it out for some tarragon. You do whatever herbs you like, of course!

Quick Vegan Vodka Sauce
Makes ~2 cups

1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups canned tomatoes, crushed
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
3 tablespoons vodka
2/3 cup non-dairy cream (I used a thick rice cream)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon tapioca starch + 2 tablespoons cold water, mixed well

In a small sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sautee the onions until they become translucent. Sprinkle them with salt. Add the tomatoes, sugar, garlic and herbs and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the vodka and cream and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the tapioca starch. Set aside the sauce until you’re ready to use it.

Summer Mushroom Risotto (Vegan, Gluten-Free and Soy-Free)

August 8, 2014theleafycauldron 2 Comments

I think of risotto as a cool weather food, but we’ve had a few cool days and it happens to be my husband’s favourite food. I mean, it’s creamy, filling and highly adaptable. This one is a mixture of wild and cultivated mushrooms, so on top of something very creamy, expect a rich, deep and earthy risotto.

My best tips for a successful risotto are to prepare all your ingredients before starting to cook it; including making your stock in a mason jar, so you can easily pour it. Also, keep the rice at a simmer and just keep stirring. That’s it. It’s really very easy once you’ve done it once. As for mushrooms, please don’t wash them. You are ruining them when you do that. If they’re dirty, wipe them with a soft clean towel or a paper towel. You can save yourself some prep by purchasing already sliced mushrooms and heating premade stock!

My mushroom mix included button mushroom, cremini, shiitake and chanterelles. On top, I’ve done a very special wild mushroom: the lobster mushroom. It’s very rare, so don’t fret if you can’t find them. I just quickly browned the sliced lobster mushrooms in bit of oil on each side. They are exceptionally dense, very meaty with a slight taste of the sea and have the most gorgeous colour.

Summer Mushroom Risotto
Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
400 g mixed mushrooms, sliced
Pinch of salt
1 medium sweet onion, diced (I used Cipollini)
1 1/2 cups arborio (or other short grain) rice
3/4 cup white wine
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 sprig of rosemary
3 springs of thyme
1 litre heated vegetarian chicken stock, substitute vegetable or mushroom stock
1 tablespoon non-dairy margarine
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine (optional)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sautée for several minutes. Once the mushrooms have started to release their water, sprinkle a pinch of salt over them and sautée for another couple of minutes. Add the rice and stir to make sure all the rice has been coated with the oil in the pan. Add the white wine, garlic and herbs and stir until it has been absorbed. It should be very fragrant now. Add about a half cup of stock and stir until it has all absorbed. Add about 1/4 cup of stock and stir. Continue to do so until you have used all the stock. On the last 1/4 cup, add the margarine, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and parsley, stir until the margarine has melted and set aside for about 10 minutes. Serve hot. I did mine on a bed of sautéed collard greens.

Simple Vegan Pancakes (Gluten-Free and an Oil-Free Option)

August 7, 2014theleafycauldron 3 Comments

Listen, there’s one recipe for vegan pancakes that is kicking around and it is just… awful. Yes, 5 minute pancakes sound very appealing, but those ones taste like baking powder. Just because something resembles the pancakes of your youth, doesn’t mean they are as good. You can add a couple more ingredients and about thirty seconds more preparation and you’ve got delicious pancakes. I did mine gluten-free but I see no reason this wouldn’t work with ordinary flour. I also did half of these without oil – they were still lovely. The addition of the oil makes for a slightly lighter crumb, so do what you will.

I’m actually a really terrible pancake-maker; they’re always misshapen and I have trouble keeping the pan the right temperature. I’ve been experimenting with pancake recipes for more than a decade now and I’ve never quite hit on the right one. I’m also really partial to waffles. However, now I have a pancake recipe in my back pocket that is simple and tasty, so maybe the wafflemaker can take a break. Feel free to turn these into blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes, just fold them into the batter in the end.

I always add a pinch of cinnamon to my batter because it makes for a slightly sweeter and warmer pancake; not a cinnamon-flavoured pancake. It’s another one of those formative food experiences; a brunch with family friends when I was about seven and there was cinnamon in the pancake, which was a game-changer.

Simple Vegan Pancakes
Serves 4

2 cups all purpose flour (Mine; use brown rice or sorghum flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cinnamon
1/3 cup canola oil (or other neutral oil; optional)
1 tablespoon boxed egg replacer + 3 tablespoon water, mixed well (I shake mine together in a small mason jar)
2 cups non-dairy milk, or more to your taste
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk vigorously until smooth. If you’re using regular flour, take it a little slower and whisk together the dry ingredients and then fold in the wet in, being careful not to over mix. Set aside to rest for a couple minutes before cooking 1/2 cup of batter on a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Vegan batter will not make the small bubble on the top side of the pancake you’re used to seeing (no eggs), so you should be careful to flip after about 2 minutes. Keep warm in a 200 F oven until ready to eat them. Serve hot with maple syrup and non-dairy margarine.

Monday Vegetable Spotlight: How to Cook Radishes!

August 4, 2014theleafycauldron 2 Comments

I’m big on radishes, especially in the summer. A good radish is such a pleasure. It also happens to be the only vegetable my husband can eat raw. The thing is, how many radishes can you eat in one sitting? Not that many. So here are my best ideas for getting through a large bunch.

Make sure to pick radishes that are bright in colour and firm to the touch. Cut the greens off when you get them home, because those will go bad much sooner than the radishes themselves. There are all kinds of radishes aside from the bright red ones I’m used to seeing, but this post is not going to feature daikon or any of the larger varieties. We can save that for another Monday!

Roasted Radishes and Cipollini Onions
Serves 2

1 large bunch red radishes, ends trimmed
2 cipollini onions, peeled, halved and then quartered
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Handful of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spread the cleaned radishes and onions evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper over top. Place the fresh herbs on top and roast for 25 minutes, until the radishes and onions have started to caramelize. Serve hot.

Quick Pickled Radishes

1 bunch radishes, preferably long, ends trimmed and cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons white vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and toss to combine. Allow to marinate for a half an hour, then toss again. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. It’ll work well in sandwiches, on top of a garden salad or as a crisp, fresh addition to pasta or potato salads.

The Leafy Cauldron

VEGAN AND GLUTEN FREE FOODIE

Monthly Archives: August 2014