Dining In - Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies - Chloe's Kitchen

'Tis the season for cookies! Here is another delicious, easy recipe. It's a little more indulgent and gourmet than your basic chocolate chip cookie and won't please most kids, nor is it recommended you give them to youngsters, given the heaping tablespoons of espresso powder blended into them. These don't include some of the common baked good ingredients like oil or vanilla or even much white sugar, but they have a richness from the margarine and generous amount of chocolate chips, and if you flatten them they are crispy, reminding me of Tate's Cookies (not vegan, but famous for that thin, crisp texture). 

This recipe comes from the vegan baking queen Chloe Coscarelli and was included in her first cookbook, Chloe's Kitchen. I made these a few years ago when I started cooking my way through that book (posts of those cooking experiences here). She shared this recipe with a handful of online publications so you can also find it here, here, and here. I was excited to see that this cookie recipe has come to life in Chloe's new restaurant in NYC called by CHLOE (my post on that here), where she displays stacks of these huge, flattened crispy delights next to the registers. 


Makes about 24 medium-large cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegan margarine (Earth Balance)
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet diary-free chocolate chips (I used Trader Joe's brand)
1/4 cup granulated sugar for coating

To Prepare Cinnamon Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Prepare two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.


In a separate larger bowl, use a stand or hand mixer to beat the margarine and espresso powder together. Next add in powdered sugar slowly, then add brown sugar and continue to blend with mixer until well combined. Add flour mixture to this about 1/2 cup at a time. Batter will be on the drier side and thick. If batter seems too dry and hard to stir add 1 tablespoon of water. 



Using large spoon or spatula fold in chocolate chips. 

Scoop about two tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets leaving at least one inch between cookies, as they will expand. Press down on each one to flatten the cookie for a crispier finish. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top. 

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges start to turn a golden brown. Let cookies cool completely (otherwise they will fall apart!) and then remove from sheet and serve!

Dining In - Curry Mustard Seitan with Yellow Rice (Vegan Version of Chicken Kitchen Chop-Chop® and Pollo Tropical TropiChops®)

Curry Mustard Seitan with Yellow Rice

This is a first for this blog, but I am finally posting a recipe that was not prepared by me! My loving and skilled non-vegan boyfriend did all the cooking on this one. It's also an original recipe, handcrafted by him! The photo doesn't do it any justice - it was a knockout.

The inspiration for this dish came from a homemade dinner he cooked just a couple of nights earlier, a non-vegan copycat version of his favorite meal in Miami, where he lived for many years...Chicken Kitchen's Chop Chop dish. The original dish consists of chopped chicken breast, yellow rice, and an addictive curry mustard sauce (you could drink this stuff it's so good). He was so proud of his work in recreating a dish he never thought he would get to enjoy up north so he wanted me to enjoy it, too!

It was adapted from the non-vegan version he created for himself - recipes for that can be found here.  I totally gorged on this, it was tasty!

Serves 2 (really hungry people!) to 4

Yellow Rice
1 cup yellow rice
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable broth (we used, organic, low sodium)
2 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine 
1/2 packet of Goya Sazón with Azafrán seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt (or skip if trying to keep the sodium down)

Curry Mustard Sauce
4 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (we used Whole Foods brand)
1 tablespoon non-dairy creamer (try Silk or So Delicious brands)
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons yellow mustard

Vegan "Chicken"
Seitan strips or Chickenless Strips (from Trader Joe's)
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Seitan, Vegan Mayo & Vegetable Broth

To Prepare Yellow Rice:

In a medium pot, bring water, broth, seasoning, margarine, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Add rice and stir. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Remove from heat and leave covered when the rice is tender.

To Prepare Curry Mustard Sauce:
 
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and use a whisk to blend. Stir vigorously until well combined. Add more or less water depending on how thick you want your sauce.


To Prepare Vegan Chicken:

In a medium frying pan, heat oil on medium-low heat and then add your choice of vegan protein.

Sprinkle on salt and pepper and allow to warm for approximately 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the vegan protein heats evenly and does not burn.

To Prepare Dish:

Start with a portion of yellow rice,  layer on a helping of vegan protein (in this case chopped seitan), and pour a generous amount of curry mustard sauce on top. Serve and enjoy a Miami tradition!

Vegan Chicken Kitchen Chop Chop!

Dining In - Kale Salad with Chickpeas & Spicy Tempeh Crumbles

Kale Salad with Chickpeas & Spicy Tempeh Crumbles

I was looking for a quick, healthy dinner recipe that I could make for my boyfriend and that wouldn't require buying a ton of new ingredients at the grocery store. I also wanted to find something that would fill us up with more protein than say a vegan pasta dish, that we often feel the need to eat 2-3 servings of! I found this on a list from Buzzfeed, "23 Vegan Meals With Tons Of Protein." The full recipe can be found here.

It had a few more steps involved than a regular tossed salad, but I loved the crunchy tempeh bits and the kale was very tender after being blanched in boiling water. This has a lot of fiber-filled ingredients, I mean a lot, so just a warning! :)

Serves 3-4 (or in my case 2!)


Tempeh Bits:
8 oz. package of tempeh (I used Trader Joe's brand)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt

Salad: 
1 pound of kale, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
15.5 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Dressing: 
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger


To Prepare Salad:

Boil a large pot of salted water and blanch kale for 30 seconds. Run under cold water and drain, squeeze out excess water, and set aside.

Blanched Kale

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mixed Spices for Tempeh Bits

(Optional step: To reduce bitterness of tempeh, you can steam it, by using a small pot and steamer basket for about 20 minutes, while prepping the salad). 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl for tempeh bits. Pour vegetable oil in a separate, small bowl. Cut tempeh into thin strips then dip into oil and arrange strips on the baking sheet. Sprinkle each piece with the mixed spices, flip if desired and coat both sides, though not necessary.


Bake for 20  minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Tip: check on them around 15 minutes in, I noticed some pieces started to burn. 

Baking Seasoned Tempeh Slices

In a glass jar or a bowl with a whisk, combine all dressing ingredients and blend or shake well. 

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss together. Top it with the tempeh bits broken into crumbles. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. 


Enjoy!

Dining In - Kate Middleton's Pasta Alfredo

Kate Middleton's Pasta Alfredo - Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen

I first made this dish last December for Christmas. I had just gotten Chloe Coscarelli's new cookbook Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen (buy yourself a copy here to fully enjoy!) and was rapidly making my way through it. My mom helped a lot with this one! It makes a huge batch when using one pound of pasta so get ready for leftovers, or feed to a large group.

I just made this again for dinner for my boyfriend and I. With a reminder on the taste, I can say it's on the sweeter side because of the caramelization of the vegetables. It's not your traditional alfredo sauce and without any soaked nuts to add fat it left me wanting a slightly creamier, more satiating sauce. Regardless it's still a good dish and with the added homemade vegan Parmesan (a little on the sweet side, as well) it was enjoyable. I don't know if it lives up to the adorable name, but for how easy it was to prepare it's worth a try!






Pasta Alfredo

12 oz. cauliflower florets, fresh (use a kitchen scale to measure)
5 garlic cloves, whole
1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 pound fusili pasta (I used Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Brown Rice Fusilli)
2 cups almond milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Ground black pepper
Italian parsley, fresh, for garnish


Parmesan Topping
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon maple syrup


To Prepare Pasta Alfredo:

Cauliflower, Onion, and Garlic Cooking

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix cauliflower, garlic, and onion with olive oil in a large baking pan, season with sea salt. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring a few times, and remove from oven when vegetables are fork tender.

While vegetables are cooking, prepare the pasta according to package in salted water. Drain and rinse, particularly if using gluten-free pasta as the water gets cloudy.

In a blender, add in cooked vegetables, almond milk, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Blend until smooth. Toss sauce with the cooked pasta and add pepper to taste. Top with parsley garnish and Parmesan topping.

To Prepare Parmesan Topping:

Making Blanched Almonds

In a food processor, combine blanched almonds, nutritional yeast and sea salt. Pulse until it forms a crumble. Add in maple syrup and pulse again. Use this to top each serving of the pasta alfredo. 

Parmesan Topping - Chloe's Vegan Italian Kitchen

Leftover Parmesan Topping!

Dining In - Chocolate Celebration Cake (Gluten-Free)

Chloe's Celebration Cake, Gluten-Free - Chloe's Vegan Desserts

It was my friend's birthday and we had plans for a fun Hot Pot style dinner at his apartment (complete with vegan-friendly side of the pot and tons of veggies!), so I decided to be formal and make an actual cake. For his previous birthday, I made one of my most gourmet and "reblogged" desserts - the Coffee Almond Crunch Cupcakes. These were a big hit so I had to step my game up, but I also wanted to experiment. From a previous shopping trip I had a bag of gluten-free flour from Trader Joe's that I hadn't opened. I went out and bought the expensive, yet required, complement to it, xanthan gum. It's a thickener that helps starches combine to trap air. I was nervous baking my FIRST altered gluten-free dessert, meaning making substitutions versus making baked goods that were naturally gluten-free like: Healthy Chocolate Chip Blondies. 

You can find this recipe and others in Chloe Coscarelli's dessert cookbook, Chloe's Vegan Desserts (buy your copy here). The prep was no different except instead of one dry flour you have to add an extra ingredient, the xanthan gum. Determining the appropriate baking time was difficult; for one thing I wasn't using the same pan size that Chloe's recipe called for. I had an 8-inch pan that I needed to reuse twice for two layers whereas she noted using a 9-inch pan. The cake wasn't cooked all the way through when I first checked it so I cooked it longer and then longer again. People are often concerned that gluten-free baking can be dry and I did worry that the outer part of my cake would be, because it already looked done when the middle was not. After letting it cool I saw that it held together so I kept my fingers crossed that the taste and texture were not sacrificed from the experimental baking time.




Now for the taste...it was a winner! The whole non-vegan, non-gluten-free dinner party loved it! I did too. I was really shocked at how moist it was, more moist than most of the other cakes I've made from Chloe's cookbooks. The chocolate was flavorful especially with coffee baked in, but wasn't overpowering and the sweet vanilla frosting paired perfectly with it. Up against a plethora of NYC bakery items, including vegan ones from Peacefood Cafe, this cake held its own! Although this is not healthy, it is a "make again" recipe and now I'm eager to incorporate gluten-free substitutes into other baked goods. 

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (You can use all types here and it's best to follow the directions of what you're using to know how to pair with the xanthan gum and how long to bake! I used the Trader Joe's variety)
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum (I used Bob's Red Mill brand)
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold coffee
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Frosting
1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance sticks)
3 cups powdered sugar
3-5 tablespoons of almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To Prepare Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray round cake pan with oil (I used an 8-inch pan instead of the recommended 9-inch).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, xanthin gum, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt.

Dry Gluten-Free Ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together wet ingredients - coffee, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine, but don't overmix.

Fill pan with batter and bake for about 30-35 minutes, checking towards the end with a toothpick to make sure the middle sets and toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan, then flip over to release it onto a plate. 


To Prepare Vanilla Frosting:

In a medium bowl use a handheld mixer or a standing mixer and beat vegetable shortening for about a minute, until smooth. On low speed, add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and combine with vanilla extract and desired amount of almond milk so that the frosting is thick, but not dry.


To Assemble Layer Cake:

Flip cake layer back over so top is up and use a large sharp knife to trim the dome part off each layer. Place first cake layer on your serving plate. Scoop out about 1/3 of the frosting and coat the top of the layer. Add another cake layer and the remaining frosting to coat edges and top. Garnish with your choice: fresh berries, sprinkles, chocolate shavings... go wild! I actually used cake crumbs from the sliced off dome portion. Slice to serve.

Dining In - Pumpkin Pecan Brownie Pie

Pumpkin Pecan Brownie Pie

When I was searching for vegan Thanksgiving desserts last year I knew it had to include pumpkin (one of my favorite holiday flavors), but I also knew there would already be pumpkin pie served, so I found a yummy alternative. This combines the best fall flavors with chocolate. I made two of these to share with my family and it was a hit. The brownie portion was more cake-like, while still being moist. The buttery pecan topping was my favorite part and it went very well with the pumpkin. Made in a pie pan, this is best served in slices with dairy-free vanilla ice cream! Sadly I was too distracted and eager to dive in, that I neglected to get a shot of the finished product!

I found this recipe from a Buzzfeed list, an usual place to find vegan recipes. It comes from the blog Oh She Glows. There is also a variation for Pumpkin Pie Brownie Cupcakes. Here is the link to recipe. Enjoy!



Pumpkin Brownie
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup & 3 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda



Pumpkin Pie
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons almond milk
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Pecan Topping
1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a pie pan.

To Prepare Pumpkin Brownie:
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer blend together the coconut oil, pumpkin, vanilla,
and sugar until blended well. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking, soda, and sea salt and stir until incorporated. Pour batter into the pie pan. Make sure batter is evenly distributed.

To Prepare Pumpkin Layer:
In a large bowl mix together the pumpkin, vanilla, and milk. In a small
bowl, mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Slowly add the dry ingredients
to the wet and mix well until all clumps are gone. Now add on top of brownie mixture.

To Prepare Pecan Topping:
Mix all ingredients until well combined and sprinkle on top of the pie.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool. Serve with vegan ice cream, vanilla will go beautifully with it, but if you're a chocolate lover, go for chocolate!

Dining In - Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake - Happy. Healthy. Life. Blog

Because one cake is just never enough for your birthday, I decided for my boyfriend's birthday this month I would make not only a decadent vegan German Chocolate Cake, but also this delicious peanut buttery pie. The recipe comes from a popular vegan blogger turned cookbook author Kathy Patalsky of Happy. Healthy. Life. (link to original recipe here). I was excited about it because I hadn't yet tried my hand at a vegan cheesecake recipe and because my boyfriend and I are big fans of peanut butter! The cheesecake itself was rich, creamy, and melt in your mouth delicious. I loved my addition of chocolate to this, too. I brought the leftovers into my office the next day and it was gone in minutes. I didn't hide the fact that it was vegan, but that didn't stop anyone from diving in and the comments included "amazing...unbelievable...OMG." 

 

It was easy to make - no oven or baking required, but I did face some issues with the crust. Well, it didn't really turn out to be a crust at all, just crushed cereal powder on the bottom of the pie pan that I had to scoop up with each slice. That leaves room for improvement for next time, and I'm thinking a chocolate cookie crust instead - yum! Be prepared to use a lot of coconut oil for this one.


Crust
3/4 cup crushed peanut butter cereal (I used Barbara's Puffins brand) 
1 teaspoon coconut oil (I used the Trader Joe's brand)


Cheesecake
2 - 16 oz. containers of vegan cream cheese (I used the Trader Joe's brand)
7 oz. (or slightly less than 1 cup) coconut oil

Vegan Cream Cheese - Trader Joe's

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I used salted)

3/4 cup maple or agave syrup

Peanut Butter Swirl

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon maple or agave syrup

Chocolate Swirl

1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut oil


To Prepare the Crust:

This is the part that didn't work out for me; the original instructions said to grease the pan with the coconut oil generously and then press the crushed cereal into it to create a crust. 

My issue might have been using coconut oil that was too melted and didn't do the job of solidifying a crust. For a second attempt, I would trade this out for a chocolate flavored version, like the crust in this recipe. 

To Prepare the Cheesecake:

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, add cream cheese, coconut oil and peanut butter. Heat until the ingredients are melted and at about room temperature. 

Transfer to a blender and add in syrup. Blend together until smooth. 

Pour into pie pan with prepared crust.

To Prepare the Swirl:

For both decorative purposes and added flavor, mix up a couple swirls. I had to include chocolate in mine so I added this is in myself. It might have overpowered the design, but the taste mattered more. 

Peanut Butter Swirl

Melt the ingredients for both flavors, separately, in the microwave. Stir both, again separately. Pour on the pie in a swirl motion and then use a knife or end of a kitchen utensil to blend in. I over-blended as you can tell, but the abstract marbled look still works!

To finish it up, cool and harden in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.