Is There Anything Better Than Home-Baked Bread?

So, I hope that you have all been well through this last week or whenever my last post was. I haven't really been doing anything too exciting. Being a recent college graduate (13 August!) I have been looking for work. I graduated with a BS in Dietetics, but haven't completed a dietetic internship yet. This means that I'm not a registered dietitian, but hopefully someday I will be. Eventually I would like to move to the UK, so I'm not sure whether or not I should do that in the States. Or, maybe I'll go to graduate school for something to do with nutrition. I really just want to make some money for the time being and if I could get a job relating to nutrition, that would be best! There are other things that I have been thinking about, but I'll save that for a later post when I've thought about it more. Let's get on with the food then!

Mushroom-Sundried Tomato Risotto with Cauliflower and
Homemade Seitan

Last Thursday I made the mushroom-sundried tomato risotto from Vegan with a Vengeance for my mother and myself. She had just gotten back from a business trip to Windsor, Ontario so I thought it would be nice to cook her dinner. She really enjoyed it and so did I. I have never made risotto before, but the experience of constantly stirring the arborio rice was rather soothing. The seitan was also from Vegan with a Vengeance. My mum tried it, but thought it tasted like dog food...I beg to differ!

Blackberry-Banana-Cashew Breakfast Crumble

The next day for breakfast I made something that I have been making about once a week for breakfast. I know that it doesn't look like too much of a breakfast and more like a dessert, but hear me out. I modified the recipe for 'Microwave Apple Crisp' in Vegan A Go-Go by Sarah Kramer. I reduced the margarine, used different fruit, and replaced the sugar with stevia. It actually fit into two ramekins, and you guessed it - I ate both!



So, here's the recipe that I used:
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and spray two small or one large ramekin with cooking spray.
Ingredients:
1 small banana
1/2 cup frozen blackberries
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Margarine (or your favourite vegan margarine)
2 packets stevia
2 tablespoons plain flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup rolled oats
Arrange the fruit within the ramekin(s). Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and rub the margarine into the dry ingredients with your fingers. Once the flour and margarine are mostly combined sprinkle the mixture evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins into the oven for about 20-30 minutes depending on your oven and how dark you want the topping to turn out. You can also use any combination of fruit that you want; I have used many different kinds!

Banana Everything Cookies

We had quite a few bananas that were getting too ripe at our house, so I had no choice but to bake! I froze some of them, but when bananas go bad you just have to bake! It is some sort of unwritten rule of life. I chose to make Banana Everything Cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. They have bananas, walnuts, chocolate chips, and oats. They were so good that I had to give most of them away so that I wouldn't eat them all.

Vegan Omelet with Vegetables and Daiya Cheddar Style

Before I left for the night to visit Stevens Point (my college town) for a few birthdays I made a quick dinner. I sautéed snap peas and cauliflower with Bragg's Liquid Aminos along with a Vegan Omelet with Spinach and Daiya Cheddar-Style Shreds. I have never used Daiya in an omelet-style dish before, but it was absolutely delish! I'm thinking that I will have to have this again tomorrow just writing this post!

Crazy woman with yarn for hair!

This past Saturday was Octoberfest in my hometown. Now, I know that it's not October yet, but Octoberfest always seems to be in the end of September in Wisconsin (is it like this other places in the USA?). Anyways, I saw a woman with YARN FOR HAIR!!! Sometimes I just wonder what people are thinking when they leave their houses. The colours represent the football team in Wisconsin (Green Bay Packers) and this woman is obviously a big fan, but come on!!!

Gus the Shih-tzu

Now, since this is a vegan blog and all vegans love animals (probably the only true vegan stereotype!) I just have to include some photos of my pets. This is our dog Gus who is a shih-tzu. I know he looks angry and disheveled, but he was 'playing' with the cats and in dire need of a haircut. He's cute though anyhow! As of now he has had a haircut and looks much thinner and cleaner!

Baily the King of the Cats

Now, this photo deserves a story for sure. This is my darling cat, Baily. Some of my family attended a wedding on Saturday and my brother caught the garter. I decided to put it on Baily and he loved it! I think he thought that he looked pretty and I can't help but agree. Doesn't he look royal too? He is just the sweetest cat ever.

Dusty the Queen of the Cats

Here is my sister's cat, Dusty. She's Baily's sister, but much more irritable than Baily. I decided to put the garter on her to see if she would enjoy it too. Turns out that she didn't like it as much as Baily did, but I just had to get a quick photo. I got my mum to hold her up so I could get a photo. She's cute, but getting a bit irritable in her old age (both her and Baily are thirteen).

Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookie Cake with Vegan Fluffy
Buttercream Frosting

For the second celebration of my brother, Ethan's, birthday (the usual family bunch actually came this time) I made a cookie cake using the recipe for Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and Vegan Fluffy Buttercream from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I didn't have any powdered espresso so I had to use powdered coffee, but it was still really tasty. Who doesn't enjoy a cookie cake?

What a birthday brat! Who gets two cakes???

Here's a picture of Ethan with cake #2!

Home-baked whole-wheat bread with the fluffy top cut off.

Today I made whole wheat bread in our bread maker. It had whole wheat flour, agave nectar, blackstrap molasses, and ground flaxseeds in it. I was really surprised at how tender it turned out. I don't know about you, but my favourite part of home-baked bread (especially when using a breadmaker) is the fluffy top portion. I have a compulsive need to cut it off as soon as the bread is cool enough to handle and eat it!

Fluffy bread top with my favourite toppings!

Here's what I ate the top of the bread. I spread the entire slice with smart balance light w/flax and had Smucker's natural creamy peanut butter, Smucker's Apple Butter, my mum's home-made strawberry jam, and Marmite. Since I have such a love affair with bread I would have to say that this was the best thing that I ate all day! I think I could spend the whole day just eating bread or bread-y things!

Banana 'Ice Cream' with peanut butter and semi-sweet chips

Have any of you ever made 'ice cream' with frozen bananas? If you haven't you absolutely must. Anytime you have bananas going bad, peel them, place in zip-top bags and freeze. Then when the urge for something creamy and frozen hits you're all set. The basic recipe is a frozen banana and a bit of non-dairy milk. Then you can go from there.




The recipe for this one is:
1 small frozen banana
7 frozen strawberries
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Put all of these ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. That's it! I also put one teaspoon of semi-sweet chips on top and some natural peanut butter.

That's all for now, but I'm sure to be cooking up some more goodies soon!