Cheer Up Brownies

Ugh. This morning I woke up and saw this out my window...

I am not impressed. While it isn't uncommon for us to get snow in April, I was really hoping that we were done with Winter. This snow isn't even that much and is melting as we speak, and yet it did nothing for my mood this morning. This Winter has been exceptionally horrible, and I have no more patience for crappy, dreary, miserable weather. 

Somehow, I resisted the urge to run into my bedroom, pack all my shoes, and run to the airport for the first flight out of here. I'm craving Spring. I'm craving happiness. So, I did run into my bedroom, but instead of packing, I let my beautiful orchid flowers remind me of Spring.

Being in my kitchen usually makes me happy, so I grabbed my favorite baking cookbook to search for some inspiration.

Babycakes cookbook is written by the owners/bakers of Babycakes Bakery in NYC.  It is all vegan recipes, which I like because then I can eat as much batter as I want and not have to worry about semolina! :) 

I decided to go with the brownies because chocolate always makes me feel happy. :) The brownie recipe I used from the cookbook also happens to be gluten-free. When I first started making recipes from this book, I was totally intimidated. I didn't know what most of the ingredients were on the list! Now, I feel much more confident working with these ingredients, and slowly I'm adjusting other recipes to include these healthier ingredients.

Gluten makes things stick together. So, if you are going to cook with gluten-free flour, you need to add something else to make it stick together! Xanthan Gum is a gluten-free powdery substance that makes things stick together. (In the picture above, it is in the glass jar to the left of the cocoa.) You don't need much, which is good because when you buy the expensive stuff, it will last a long time!

I made a total mess of my brownie batter. It was wonder - fun!  The recipe asked for 3 mini-muffin pans in which to bake the brownies. I have one mini-muffin pan. So, I put the extra batter in a couple 2-inch tart pans and a mini-loaf pan. They turned out great in all my pans - just be careful not to overcook the brownies. 

Finally. Happiness arrived! These brownies are gooey happiness in chocolate form. Milk (either dairy or non-dairy) is a must. 

Seriously. Are you drooling yet??

You too, can have happiness in chocolate form on this dreary, miserable day. I refuse to let Minnesota's crappy weather ruin my day. Now, if you excuse me, I must go finish off the pan of brownies before they go bad.... :) 

Cheer Up Brownies

36 mini-muffin sized brownies, 45 minutes

1 cup garbanzo bean flour

1/4 cup potato starch

2 tablespoons arrowroot

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup coffee (or hot water)

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease mini-muffin pans. 
2. In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, potato starch, arrowroot, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Stir well to combine.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients: coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and hot coffee. Stir until the batter is smooth.
4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Scoop the batter into your prepared pans. Bake for about 10 minutes (if using mini-muffin pans), rotating the pan after about 5 minutes. The brownies are done with the edges are firm and the middle is soft, but not wet. A toothpick will come out clean. 
6. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Store at room temperature (if you have any left!).

From Babycakes by Erin McKenna

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Banana Espresso Walnut Muffins

Before I get to this post's delicious morning muffin recipe, I must tell you about my exciting, edge-of-your-seat weekend!

This past weekend, my husband and I had a Huevos Rancheros Taste-off! The two condenders:

 

Moose and Sadie's 

vs.

Hell's Kitchen

Let me first say that both Huevos Rancheros were so good we practically licked our plates... That being said, they were very different from each other.

Moose and Sadie's used two gently warmed corn tortillas and layered re-fried beans on each. Two eggs over easy topped the layers, followed by tomato salsa, two slices of avocado, and a whole mess of sour cream. I loved the flavors in this dish as the corn tortillas melted away and the avocado added a creamy deliciousness. It wasn't spicy. I also really liked the soft eggs; after all, this is the dish that sold me on runny eggs.

Hell's Kitchen, on the other hand, used two deep-fried corn tortillas and layered chunky black beans on each. Then, they topped the layers with hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, tomato salsa, melted cheese, and sour cream. This dish was spicy! I loved the addition of the hashbrowns, and the beans were delicious! But, the scrambled eggs did nothing for me.

My husband liked Hell's Kitchen's Huevos Rancheros better because the flavors were stronger and the textures were more diverse. I agree with that assessment, but I liked Moose and Sadie's Huevos Rancheros better. The dish is named after the eggs. I don't want my eggs scrambled and hidden in the pile of food. I want their runny yokes mixing with everything else. 

What do you think? Which is your favorite??

Speaking of delicious breakfasts... these Banana Espresso Walnut muffins are sure to please anyone. Deliciously moist, they are a great addition to any brunch party.

I'm usually not a fan of nuts in my breakfast baked goods, but I did like the walnuts in these muffins. That said, you could easily omit them and the muffins would still be delicious! Plus, the flecks of espresso make me smile. :)

Banana Espresso Walnut Muffins
12 muffins, 60 minutes

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon expresso, finely ground
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 mashed overripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
2. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and lightly toast for a few minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned. Toasting nuts can go from lightly brown to burnt in seconds so watch carefully. Remove from heat immediately.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso. Stir well to combine.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar and then add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla, yogurt, and bananas. 
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently just until combined. The less you stir, the softer the muffins will be.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Top with remaining walnuts. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan and serving. 

Adapted from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson.

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Bok Choy Quinoa Pilaf

Sometimes I'm inspired by a cooking technique or cuisine. But most of the time I'm inspired by an ingredient. Today's inspiring ingredient: bok choy. In this transition between Winter and Spring, bok choy is a food we can't get enough of. It promotes digestion and gives us a wallop of vitamins and other things that strengthen our immune system. Who doesn't need a bit of Spring cleaning and rejuvenation?

Let me walk you through my thought process as I planned this meal.

I knew I wanted to use the GIGANTIC bok choy I found at the co-op this weekend. I also knew that I wanted it to be our meal and not just a side dish of braised bok choy in soy sauce. Boring!

Cilantro, garlic, and onion called my name from my refrigerator. Hmm... Fresh, light, delicious. I open my cupboard, and I'm all out of rice (thanks to Cilantro Fusion!) but I have a plethora of quinoa. Tada! Meal. Quinoa is high in protein, which makes this dish satisfying.

But... it needed more. How about some lime juice. Cilantro and lime are best friends. And, my carrots are now calling to me for some color and a variety of textures. Speaking of texture, what can I add to bring a little crunch and a little sweetness to this savory dish? Pecans!

Now, I've gathered my ingredients. How am I going to cook it? Will I cook everything separate and toss it together in the end? No. I want something more simple. My thoughts drift back to some pilaf recipes I was reading about the other day, and suddenly the dish came all together in my head. Now, to make a masterpiece.

One of the aspects I really like about Ayurvedic cooking is that a cook must follow her heart. Love is an ingredient that cannot be left out of any meal. While that sounds corny, I do know that when I pour myself into a meal, rarely does it flop. My meals flop when I just follow a recipe, completing one command after another. Maybe that is why I love this recipe so much. It came from a place in me where creativity lives and smiles at me.

Now, I must find some ice cream!

Bok Choy Quinoa Pilaf
4-6 servings, 40 minutes

1 head bok choy
3 medium carrots, julienned
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 cups quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon ghee, butter, or oil
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash the bok choy well. Remove the green leaves from the white stalk. Chop the white stalk and set aside. Chop the green leaves and set aside separately from the white stalk. 
2. Julienne the carrots and set aside with the green leaves. Mince the garlic and yellow onion.
3. In a large pot, heat the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Saute for a minute or two.
4. Rinse the quinoa well. Add to the pot along with the white bok choy stalk. Saute for about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the 2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. When boiling, add the green leaves and carrots. Stir to combine and simmer over medium heat uncovered for about 10-15 minutes. Quinoa is done when tender and most of the water is absorbed. Turn off heat. 
6. Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a small skillet over medium heat, carefully watching so as not to burn them. Remove immediately from pan when lightly toasted and fragrant. Set aside.
7. Stir in the cilantro, lime juice, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper into the bok choy mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. 
8. To serve, place the pilaf on a plate and sprinkle pecans on the top. Yum!

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Cilantro Fusion

I'm always a little hesitant to make sauces and pastes. I know that they are the secret to fantastic flavors exploding in my dishes, but they seem so overwhelming. I hardly know where to begin. Where some people can see infinite possibilities with a mango chutney, all I see is a dipping sauce for my fresh egg rolls.

So, when I decided to make a cilantro pesto I was surprised at my excitement. I wasn't sure what would use it for initially, but I knew that a cilantro pesto would be easy to weave into anything. I hardly knew myself I was thinking such backward thoughts. It's like the runny eggs all over again! (btw, I might have eaten nearly a dozen runny eggs over the last few days for breakfast... I just can't get enough!).

I'm embraced my daring self and discovered a fantastic way to use the cilantro pesto. I call this "fusion" because it mixes Thai, Mexican, Spanish, and Jillted flavors all into one dish. It felt a little nuts when I was making it, but holy molely is it good!

In this recipe I use Field Roast sausages, the Mexican Chipolte flavor. Feel free to substitute your favorite spicy protein. Or, if you want to embrace your daring self, make your own by altering my Fauxsages recipe to use Mexican Chipolte spices instead of Italian spices.

Do not substitute the corn for any other vegetable without seriously considering the consequences first. I'm not kidding. And remember, I don't even really like corn. Even my stoic husband mentioned the power of the corn kernel in this dish. Imagine taking a bite and tasting spicy, fresh, depth and a POW of sweet. It's pretty much amazing.

Enough. Make it already!

Cilantro Fusion
4 servings, 45 minutes

1 cup basmati rice
1 2/3 cup water
1 pinch saffron
2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
2 Field Roast sausages, Mexican Chipotle flavor, chopped or crumbled
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 Cilantro Pesto recipe
1 tablespoon lime juice (or to taste)
1 tablespoon oil
1/3 cup manchego cheese, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
1 small yellow onion diced

Cilantro Pesto
makes 1/2 cup

2 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ginger sea salt or plain sea salt

1. Make the Cilantro Pesto by combining all ingredients in a food processor until a fine paste. Set aside.
2. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Add rice, water, and saffron to a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about twenty minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir well to distribute saffron.
3. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add yellow onion and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the corn and jalapeno pepper. Saute for a few more minutes or until corn begins to brown. Add Field Roast and cook until warm and slightly crispy. Be careful not to over cook Field Roast. It comes fully cooked and burns easily.
4. Stir cooked rice into the vegetable mixture. Add the Cilantro Pesto, cheese, and green onions. Stir well to combine. Taste. Add the lime juice. Taste again. Add more lime juice if it needs a little flavor pop. Serve warm.

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