Classic French Crepe with Lemon Curd and Blueberries

January 27, 2013 2 Comments

crepes

Last week when I found myself with some extra raw lemon curd, I was eager to try my hand at raw crepes for a healthy, whole food breakfast. I looked around the web and through a couple of cookbooks to find the most appealing recipes. I tried two, both using a base of dehydrated bananas. With my dehydrator running and the sweet smell of bananas wafting through my house, I eagerly awaited.

I am sad to report that I was quite disappointed in the outcome. Not in flavor; they were delicious, chewy banana fruit roll-ups that Eden has since been enjoying as her mid-morning snack. But crepes they were not. There are some beautiful pictures on the web that make me believe in the raw crepe, but perhaps it takes some practice to perfect.

Without practice under my belt, I changed plans and went classic with these veganized French crepe and enjoyed my lemon curd rolled into one of these for a delightfully decadent Saturday morning breakfast.

crepe

Classic French Crepes
makes about 8 crepes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used soy)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup cold water

Oil for frying

1 cup of Lemon Curd
1 pint of Blueberries

In a food processor combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. With the motor running, pour the wets into the dry and blend until well combined.

Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Heat a large, light-weight frying pan over medium heat. Brush or spray on a small amount of oil to lightly coat the pan. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into pan, and swirl pan around so that the batter covers the bottom in a thin layer. Cook until you see small bubbles on the top and the edges begin to crisp. (1- 2 minutes) Loosen the edge with a rubber spatula, flip, and cook on the other side for about 1 more minute. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Spoon about 2 tbsp lemon curd (recipe here) and a few blueberries down the center of the crepe. Fold sides over. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with a few blueberries.

Serve immediately.

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You might also like:

Orange Poppy Seed Poundcake

Raspberry and Cream Baked Oatmeal

Maple Hazelnut Corncakes

French Toast with Homemade Challah

Filed Under: breakfast, breakfast Tagged With: berries, breakfast, crepe, lemon curd, sweets

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Granola

January 15, 2013 7 Comments

You should have seen the mess I made yesterday.

Last friday I asked my Facebook page what desserts they would like to see me veganize. I LOVED the responses I got; so many fabulous ideas, tiramisu being the most requested. So I began experimenting. I started with a cashew tiramisu filling which was pretty good, although needed some adjustments. Then I decided to make a gluten-free sponge cake with almond flour and coconut flour. Was not great. Then, just to see how it tasted all together I assembled the cake, soaking each layer in coffee and dusting with cocoa powder.

It was bad. And ugly.

It was an off day. This happened at work some days. Everything I touched I would burn, drop, or somehow destroy. I needed to step away, give myself a break and come back strong the next day. And so today, rather than the delicious and beautiful tiramisu I hoped to post, I am reposting another recipe from the archives and one of my all time favorite recipes from The Sweet Life.

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Granola

granola

You know what I love about granola? Lots of stuff:

Granola is easy to make
Granola can take on so many different flavors
Granola makes great gifts
Granola makes eating chocolate at breakfast totally permissible

At least with this recipe it does. I don’t know why it took me so long to come up with this, but I’m thinking it’s time for my Berries n’ Cream Baked Oatmeal to move over to make room for Dark Chocolate and Cherry Granola.

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Dark Chocolate and Cherry Granola
makes about 8 cups

4 cups rolled oats
2 cups slivered almonds
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup brown sugar
(1) 4 oz chocolate bar
1/2 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with wax paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large bowl mix together the oats, almonds, coconut, salt, and cinnamon. In a small pan combine canola oil, agave nectar, and brown sugar, and place over medium heat, stirring often until sugar has melted. Pour over oat mixture and stir well to thoroughly coat.

Evenly spread the granola out on the two baking sheets. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile chop the chocolate bar into small pieces. Stir chocolate and cherries into the granola, breaking up the large chunks of granola as you mix.

Store in an air tight container.

I enjoyed my granola this morning as a parfait: vanilla coconut milk yogurt, layered with fresh Bing cherries and topped with dark chocolate granola. It was one satisfying breakfast.

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Do you make your own granola? How do you flavor yours?

One of my favorites is my Maple Almond Granola or similar variations. It wasn’t until recently when walking through the aisles at a grocery store when I realized I could put CHOCOLATE in my granola.

Raw Banana Bread Breakfast Bar

January 3, 2013 26 Comments

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January. What a fantastic time for change.

I used to think New Years Resolutions were a bit silly. They are usually impossible to keep and allow the excuse to shrug off self-control and indulge without limits during the end of the year. Resolutions, at least for me, encouraged an all or nothing lifestyle when perhaps what I needed most was moderation.

However, as in so many other ways, I have changed. A fresh start is sometimes exactly what is needed to bring on the change we desire. For years my husband thought about transitioning to a vegan diet, and finally he decided 2013 was the year. With at least 6 weeks to marinate on what this actually looked like, he mentally prepared himself so that when the calendar changed from December 31, 2012 to January 1, 2013, he was ready.

For me, this year is about health. Turning 30 and giving birth in the same year took quite a toll on my body. I ache in new ways, I carry new weight, I tire easily, I even process food differently. This last year has made me aware that in order to continue to feel young, I need to take deliberate steps towards healthy living. So as I said in the other day this month is all about health. With a commitment to eat 50% raw, juice 4x a week, eat gluten-free & refined sugar free, I hope to see improvement in my energy and strength.

I started of by making these Raw Banana Bread Breakfast Bars. Full of only good, whole foods and healthy fats, these are a great way to start the day and the year.

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Raw Banana Bread Breakfast Bars
makes (12) 1×2 bars

3 bananas, dried (about 1 cup, packed)
1 1/2 cups pecans
4 large madjool dates, pitted
1/4 tsp salt

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans

Slice the bananas about 1/8th inch and dehydrate. This can be done on a parchment-lined baking sheet, baked at 175 or in a food dehydrator, each for 2-3 hours. Once bananas are dried but still bendable, remove.

In a food processor or powerful blender, mix together dried bananas, 1 1/2 cup pecans, dates, and salt until it forms a smooth paste. Add oats and remaining 1/2 cup of pecans and blend until well combined.

Place dough on a piece of parchment paper and press out to about 1/2 inch. Place a second piece of parchment on top of dough and roll smooth to about 1/4 inch thick, straightening the sides as you roll to form approximately a 6×12 rectangle.

Cut into 12 equal pieces and enjoy. Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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Have you made any New Years Resolutions? Do you want to join in my back-to-health month of January?

Let me know how you are getting healthy in the new year.

Classic French Toast with Homemade Challah

October 15, 2012 1 Comment

Happy Monday! I know, I know, most Mondays aren’t all that exciting, but I have two things that might make this Monday a little better.

1. I have a giveaway going on right now. Do you want a chance to win a year subscription to VegNews Magazine? If you already have a subscription, enter anyway. I’m sure you know someone who would love it as much as you do. Click on this link to enter. Do it!

2. French Toast with Homemade Challah. The other day I made this homemade Challah. It was so delicious I probably could have eaten the whole loaf right then. But instead I showed a little restraint and saved some to make French Toast. (I also saved some to make Pumpkin Bread Pudding, but we’ll get to that later).

The challah recipe uses chickpea flour to replace the eggs, which works great because of it’s high protein content and binding qualities. With the success of the bread, I extended my chickpea experimenting and used the flour to replace the eggs in the French toast batter as well. Turned out Awesome! Baking the chickpea flour created a custard-like texture for the batter, doing the exact same things the eggs do in a classic french toast recipe. Once again, who needs eggs?

“God bless the chickpea”

Can anyone tell me where that quote is from? Think 90′s.

Classic French Toast
Serves 4

8 slices challah or other white bread, slightly stale or lightly toasted

1/3 cup chickpea flour
1 1/2 cup soy or oat milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsp non-hydrogenated vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
powdered sugar for dusting
maple syrup for serving

*So that your bread doesn’t fall apart while soaking in the batter, you’ll want it to be slightly stale. If the bread is fresh, slice and toast it for about 10 minutes in the oven at 300 degrees F.

In a small bowl whisk together chickpea flour, milk, spices, and vanilla until flour has dissolved and no chunks remain. Pour into a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet and arrange sliced challah so that one side of the bread is completely submerged. Allow to soak for skillet 3 minutes, flip and soak for another 3 minutes. Heat vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Place soaked bread, 3-4 pieces at a time, onto hot frying pan and cook about 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and speckled.

Serve immediately. Top with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Have you done much experimenting with chickpea flour? If so, what’s your favorite way to use it?

One of my most successful experiments were these copycat Nestle Tollhouse Cookies. They brought me right back to childhood.

Filed Under: breakfast Tagged With: breakfast, challah, chickpea flour, french toast

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

October 4, 2012 8 Comments

Day 4 of Squash week: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. I had half a can of pumpkin puree left over from my Maple Pumpkin Donuts so I stirred a couple tablespoons in with my morning oatmeal, added a few spices, and created my new favorite oatmeal.

If you like pumpkin pie and think it would make a great breakfast, you’re gonna want to try this one.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
serves 2

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup water (sub 1/2 cup soy milk for extra creaminess)
3 tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg and ginger
pinch of salt

1-2 tbsp maple syrup
2-3 tbsp soy milk or creamer
1/4 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Combine oats, water, pumpkin, and spices in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Once oats begin to boil, turn heat down low and stir. Let simmer for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and oats are cooked all the way through. Remove from heat and serve up immediately.

Top with maple syrup, soy milk, and pecans.

Filed Under: breakfast, breakfast, Eating in Season, Fall Tagged With: breakfast, oatmeal, oats, pumpkin

Maple Pumpkin Donuts with Spiced Glaze

October 1, 2012 44 Comments

Over the weekend I bought one of these:

I had been wanting to bake some donuts for awhile; a pastry to go with my Spicy Chai Tea Latte. I have a weakness for pastries, you see. Surprising that after so many years in the pastry-making business, I still can’t seem to get enough but it’s true. So instead of denying myself of the buttery, sweet goodnesses, I find ways to make them healthier. Baked donuts: the perfect solution.

These maple pumpkin donuts are a dream come true. Dipped in spiced glaze, they are like bitting into a piece of Autumn.

Baked Maple Pumpkin Donuts
makes 6

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger and nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour, sifted

Cinnamon Spiced Glaze

2/3 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp soy milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a donut pan. If you don’t have a donut tin, you can make muffins…but then you won’t be eating donuts and that’s kind of sad.

In a small mixing bowl combine oil, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, spices, salt, and baking powder. Whisk together until smooth. Add sifted flour and mix to combine. Do not over mix; you do not want the gluten to develop.

Evenly spoon batter into donut pans, batter should be nearly to the top. Smooth tops and place in oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (If you’re making muffins bake for 25-30 minutes).

Let donuts sit for a couple of minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile mix together the ingredients for spiced glaze. Dip cooled donuts, tops only, into the glaze and return to cooling rack to let glaze set up.

Filed Under: breakfast, Eating in Season, Fall, snacks, sweets Tagged With: breakfast, donut, pastry, pumpkin, snack, spiced glaze

Classic French Crepe with Lemon Curd and Blueberries

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Granola

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Granola

Raw Banana Bread Breakfast Bar

Classic French Toast with Homemade Challah

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Maple Pumpkin Donuts with Spiced Glaze

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