Black History Month

February is Black History Month, a remembrance of events that took place in the history of Black people. It's a great time to read some wonderful novels by Black authors or to read the history of Blacks in Canada or America. I've attached a link for a Black History learning tool.
http://blackhistorycanada.ca/education/LearningTools.pdf

Black history month is also a great time to eat some African, Southern or Caribbean cooking. So to help celebrate I've got a recipe for collard greens!

Vegan Collard Greens:


4 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and thinly diced

1 scotch bonnet pepper

1 cup vegetable stock

6-8 cups chopped collard greens

A few drops of Liquid smoke

Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1.Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, cooking until they are translucent, and soft about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly as not to burn the garlic.

2.Add carrots and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn the heat down to low and add vegetable stock and collard greens. Cover pot and allow to cook just until the greens are cooked and tender. Salt to taste. Serve as a hot side dish.
 
So celebrate this Black History by throwing on some Bob Marley and dance around your living room, maybe watch a Sidney Poitier movie, and have some good eats!


Vegan Peace & Love

Sonia

Happy New Year

It's the end of January.
For those of you who made New Year's Resolutions how are you doing? Still making those positive life changes?
How many of you celebrated Vegan Pizza Day on January 29th by making a delicious vegan pie?
So much seems to be going on in the vegan world and we are still in the first month of the year!
Next month proves to be keeping up the momentum as Oprah and her staff of 378 plan on going vegan for a week. It all begins tomorrow, and how great that someone with such a huge following is bringing this healthy lifestyle mainstream to  millions of viewers.
Seems the world is slowly going vegan or at least providing more services to it's vegan customers!
I was in Jamaica just a few weeks ago and was amazed at how much veganism has exploded on the island. Already known for a strong vegan and vegetarian culture, especially amongst the Rastafarians, and a new health conscience generation. I was thrilled to see that all restaurants from the local fast food (and surprisingly healthy) to the most upscale restaurants were all offering a wide variety of vegan options.
We have a lot of exciting things we'll be sharing with you this year too!
So stay tuned!
Vegan Peace & Love!

Sonia

Better Than Oreos

In a large mixing bowl combine  3/4 cup vegan shortening, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 cup almond milk.

In a separate bowl combine 11/2 cups of flour, 3/4 cocoa (dark is best like the very alkalized black cocoa but Dutch will do they just won't be as dark),  2 teaspoons of cornstarch, 1/4 baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Sift the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until you have a nice dough.

Chill in the fridge for an hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350. On parchment paper (not a floured surface or your oreos will no longer be dark but dusted with white flour) roll out the dough and using a round cookie cutter cut out your circles for the cookies.

Drop the circles on parchment papered cookie sheets make sure you have enough to pair up in the end.. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes.

No I haven't forgotten the white filling.

While your cookies are baking combine the following to make the cookie filling:

I start by melting a handful of vegan marshmallows in a double broiler and then adding 2 teaspoons of vanilla. While this is cooling mix together:

1/4 vegan margarine

1/4 vegan shortening

21/2 cups of icing sugar

Combine all the filling ingredients together until pretty thick. (You may need to refrigerate it or add more powdered sugar.)

Now you are ready to drop the filling on top of a cookie and then lid it with another. Do this until you've created all your little sandwiches.

Better Than Oreos!

Sonia's Snickerdoodles - Winnipeg Free Press

Sonia's Snickerdoodles - Winnipeg Free Press

Macaroon Cookies

If you like macaroons you'll like these macaroon cookies.

Start by toasting in a pan 2 cups of shredded coconut on a low heat so you don't burn them. This will take about five minutes before they brown nicely. Set it off to the side to cool and then preheat your oven to 350.
Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl combine 1/4 cup of coconut oil, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon ground flax, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Once you've blended this together get a second bowl for your dry ingredients. In this bowl you will combine the following, 1 cup unbleached flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the cooled toasted coconut.
Then combine the dry ingredients with the wet.
Form the dough into balls and place on cookie sheets.
Bake these for about 10 minutes.
They will fall flat while baking.
While they cool start on the chocolate drizzle to decorate the cookies with (what I've been doing lately though with this recipe is dipping the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate coating instead of designing with a drizzle).
For the chocolate drizzle or coating you will need to melt a cup of chocolate chips in a double broiler with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Once it has melted set it off to the side to start to cool. This will allow the chocolate dip to start to solidify somewhat and makes it easier (and safer) to dip the cookies in.
Another suggestion if I may is to put the cookies in the fridge right after you do this so that the chocolate really adheres to the cookies if you are dipping the. If you are simply drizzling the chocolate on top then this is not necessary.
I'd love to see your pictures of these cookies, and it will enter you in the draw for the goodies from The Garden of Vegan!
Enjoy!

Sonia's Chocolate Snickerdoodles

So true ladies!
I did promise on the Facebook site to give you BOTH Snickerdoodle recipes!
Thanks for your gentle email reminders and here is the recipe!
This recipe will also qualify for the contest going on at The Garden of Vegan Facebook page!

In a large mixing bowl cream 1/2 cup canola oil with 1 cup of sugar or other sweetener until creamy. Then add in 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 Tablespoons of almond milk,2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.


In a separate bowl sift 1 2/3 cups unbleached flour, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix your dry mixture into the large bowl.

When you've created a soft dough chill it for an hour or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350

Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and then start rolling the dough into little balls.

Then sprinkle each cookie with the cinnamon coating (recipe to follow) and bake for 10 minutes.



Cinnamon Coating:

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Easy, Vegan and Delicious!

Chai Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sipping I warm cup of chai and eating chai cookies. Yum!

Want the recipe?
Sure you do!

Preheat the oven to 350 and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (you know I love this stuff for great cookies!)

In a large bowl mixe1/2 cup of vegan shortening and 1/2 cup of vegan margarine along with 3/4 cups of powder sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
In a second bowl mix together 1 cup of unbleached flour, 1 cup pastry flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of cardamom, 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, a pinch of all spice and a pinch of ground peppercorns.

Now before you continue here is something I used to do when making this recipe for an extra kick. I used to soak a chai teabag in 1/4 cup of almond milk and mix it in. The extra flavour was great. Then one day the bag burst in the milk and it gave me an idea. What if I just tore open a bag of chai tea and threw it in the mix with all the spices. I did and it was divine! So at this point if you'd like empty the contents of a chai tea leaf bag into the dry mix bowl now. If that idea turns you off don't, but trust me. I always make the recipe with the contents of the tea bag now and it's so much better!  If you find the recipe is getting crumbly and needs more moisture please add the almond milk  just remember to remove the tea bag! Now back to the recipe.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together to create your dough. Once you have this dough start to mix in 2/3 cups of chocolate chips.
I then roll the dough out into a log and start slicing off my cookies and transferring them to a cookie sheet.

I then bake them for a little longer than my other cookies because of the tea bag contents so bake for about 15 minutes or until golden.

This is another yummy recipe that you can send in a picture for the draw to win an assortment of vegan bars from the Garden of Vegan.
http://www.thegardenofvegan.ca/

Cafe Cocoas

Like Chocolate?
Like Coffee?
You'll LOVE the Cafe Cocoas!

Cookie Mix:

1/2 cup Canola Oil
3/4 Cup Sugar or other sweetener
1/4 Cup  Almond Milk
1 Ttablespoon flax seed powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons coffee extract
1 1/2 cups unbleachedd flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cookie Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons almond milk
1/2 teaspoon coffee extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl combine the first 5 ingredients.
Then add your extracts.
Finally sift in all your dry ingredients.
Chill for an hour in the fridge (or overnight).
Preheat the oven to 350

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll the dough into balls and place on your cookie sheets.
Once you have all the balls aligned on your sheets gentle press them down slightly with the palm of your had or bottom of a cup.
Bake for 10 minutes.
While they are cooling combine the ingredients for your icing.
Now you can decorate your Cafe Cocoas with happy faces, letters, or zigzag designs across the top.
The first person to make this recipe and send in your picture of your Cafe Cocoa's will have their photo posted on the website with credits of course! Better yet! Send in a picture of you AND your Cafe Cocoa's!

Enjoy!

Sonia's Snickerdoodles

Okay ladies!
Since posting my snickerdoodles on my Facebook page back in November I have received emails everyday since that day asking for the recipe.
So I'm going to measure things out and post it for you below.
You know I cook and bake by eye, feel and intuition and rarely by measuring cup. In fact I went out and bought a set of measuring cups just for you!
So here we go!

In a large mixing bowl cream 1 cup of Earth Balance or other vegan butter with 1 cup of sugar or other sweetener until creamy. Then add in 2 Tablespoons of almond milk, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl sift 1 2/3 cups unbleached flour, 1/4 cup of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Mix your dry mixture into the large bowl.
When you've created a soft dough chill it for an hour  or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 350
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and then start rolling the dough into little balls.
Then sprinkle each cookie with the cinnamon coating (recipe to follow) and bake for 10 minutes.

Cinnamon Coating:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Easy, Vegan and Delicious!

Holiday Sugar Cookies

I've had a lot of requests for the recipe to my secret vegan sugar cookies over the years. So here it is.
I guess they won't be a secret anymore, but at least this way everyone can enjoy them! I just made these today so I was able to measure out the recipe for you.

In a bowl mix together 2 cups sweetener (likely you'll be using granulated sugar), 1 cup vegan butter,  and the secret ingredient ...1 teaspoon ground cardamon. Once this is light and fluffy and in 1 tablespoon vanilla and 2 egg replacers (I recommend Ener-G because flax does change the flavour).
Then beat in  4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
I then turn it out on a floured board and knead out just a bit before chilling it in the fridge for a couple hours. If you can overnight is best. However, if you are making these with kids good luck with that. They won't forget the dough is in the fridge and will be very anxious to continue with making the cookies.

Preheat the oven to 350 while you do the following:
Take the dough out of the fridge to become almost room temperature. Then line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. I don't bake without it!
roll the dough out on a flour dusted surface. I usually roll them out to 1/8" because they do rise and spread a bit.
Then the fun part. Pull out your fun shaped cookie cutters and go at her! Place the cut out dough shapes on the cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes. The edges should be brown at this point.
Let them cool and then decorate!

When you get a chance let me know how you enjoyed them!
:-)