fresh bread
Making bread is one of those things that I wish I did more often. It’s really so simple and so rewarding, and yet I never make the time to do it. Perhaps because the process of rising and waiting seems so much harder than it actually is.
This weekend I made a few loaves using this recipe and I dare say they turned out perfectly.
As you can see, by perfectly I mean a little odd. They grew from beautiful orbs of dough into misshapen blobs. Delicious misshapen blobs. They were moist and fluffy on the inside and perfectly crusty on the outside. Everything that I want in a piece of bread.
We’ve already eaten our way through these two loaves, slicing them up and smothering them with various spreads. Such a treat. So here is to turning bread making into a habit.
chocolate chip banana muffins
This next post is from Nicole, a friend and vegan blogger who I was able to meet last year when she was visiting Los Angeles. She’s a great girl and not only does she cook up some tasty vegan food, she also takes amazing photos. Luckily she’s kind enough to share a recipe with us. It looks delicious. (more…)
Chocolate Ricemellow Creme Panini
Next up in our set of guest posts for the week is brought to you from Kim Garr of C’est la Vegan. She is the talented baker behind C’est la V Bakeshop, here in Los Angeles. She comes up with some really great recipes, especially some of her treats for entertaining. My mother enlisted her to do make scones and biscuits for my bridal tea. Kim is sweet woman and I’m so pleased to be able to share one of her recipes here.
I’m such a huge fan of Cute and Delicious, and I’m so excited to be doing a guest post while Alix and Shawn enjoy their honeymoon!
I actually used the idea of a honeymoon as my inspiration for this dish, hoping to come up with something that would make for a really decadent breakfast in bed. I think this Chocolate Ricemellow Creme Panini with Raspberry Dipping Sauce fits the bill nicely, though I would gladly eat this any time of day – honeymoon or not!
This is actually very simple to make, and if you don’t have access to vegan ricemellow or marshmallows, you could substitute peanut butter instead, or just do a plain chocolate panini sandwich, which would still be really delicious. The Raspberry Dipping Sauce is easy to make, and the tartness of the raspberries really helps to cut the sweetness of the sandwich.
This ooey, gooey treat is so incredible, and I’ll definitely make it again. It kinds of feels like a special occasion sandwich to me, but let’s be honest, I could easily count a movie night as a special occasion! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
Chocolate Ricemellow Creme Panini with Raspberry Dipping Sauce
serves 2
- 1 pint raspberries
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 4 slices good quality bread
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup ricemellow creme (or a few vegan marshmallows, halved if large so they lay flatter)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, or chopped dark chocolate (you could also use dairy-free semi-sweet)
- 1-2 tablespoons Earth Balance non-hydrogenated margarine
Wash the raspberries and place them in a small saucepan over medium heat with the agave nectar (you can start with less agave and add more, depending on the sweetness of your berries). Once you start to hear sizzling, stir the berries and start to break them up with a fork. Turn the heat down, and simmer the mixture for a few minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Heat your panini press or a large skillet. Spread the margarine on the outsides of the slices of bread, or melt it in the pan if you don’t have a panini press. Turn the bread over, and on the inside of each slice, spread 1-2 tablespoons of the ricemellow creme evenly over the bread. Spread the chocolate chips over the ricemellow creme, and press the two sides together with the Earth Balance on the outside. Place the sandwich in the panini press, and cook until the chocolate is melted.
Serve with the warm raspberry dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Moments in Ireland
As our first guest post, I bring some photos, writing and even a recipe from Sara Lynn Paige of Simply Stardust. She is an amazingly talented photographer who herself just got hitched last October. Not to mention, she just recently went vegan. Make sure to pop over to her blog to see some lovely photos and get a glimpse of her life in Toronto. So without further ado, here’s Sara! (more…)
Creamiest Tomato Soup with cashews
When the weather gets cold, I love a rich, creamy bowl of soup. Who doesn’t? It’s the best. My favorite is tomato soup, but I have to admit, I’m a little picky about it. I like my tomato soup thick and creamy. It shouldn’t have chunks and it shouldn’t be brothy.
I finally decided to try and make my own tomato soup, it seemed only logical. I was blown away by not only how easy it was to make but how amazingly flavorful it was. Since it is nearly as easy as heating up a can of soup, and about 10 thousand times better, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to eating pre-made soup again.
Creamy tomato soup approved by Shawn Bannon.
The key to making it so rich and creamy was cashews. I considered using some sort of soy creamer but knew it wouldn’t give it the right density or the subtle nuttiness.
I most definitely had seconds (and thirds). It was hearty enough to eat on it’s own, but since I ate it a few nights in a row, we also had some kale and roasted butternut squash to go along with it.
Creamy Tomato Soup
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp Earth Balance
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- salt & pepper to taste
In a food processor, blend together your cashews and vegetable broth until smooth. Pour into a separate container and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the Earth Balance. Add the onions and saute for about 2-3 minutes. As they begin to become fragrant, add in the garlic and saute until your onions are soft and translucent, stirring as not to burn. Add in your tomatoes, including any liquid in the can. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes before pouring into your food processor. Blend until combined and not chunky. Add in the nutritional yeast and pulse to combine. Add in the cashew mixture and blend until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper to your liking and pulse a few times.
It will be fairly thick, so if you like a less robust soup, add more vegetable broth.
