April 28, 2012
Happy Birthday to my little sister and brother! This is my vegan cake that I made for their birthday: Double layer Chocolate with Plum preserve in-between, topped with Raspberry-Orange “Butter” Cream, decorated with Chocolate shavings and fresh orange slices. 

Happy Birthday to my little sister and brother! This is my vegan cake that I made for their birthday: Double layer Chocolate with Plum preserve in-between, topped with Raspberry-Orange “Butter” Cream, decorated with Chocolate shavings and fresh orange slices. 

April 26, 2012 • 2 notes

Wow, it seems as if it has been forever since my last post. Such a busy life right now! Well, my senior project event went really well and I ended up making poached pears in a red wine sauce(super delicious), coconut macaroons, and mini chocolate cherry almond cupcakes with roses I made with Royal Icing (Vegan of course) 

Pictured above are my mini cupcakes I had made, bad pictures, but eh, it was a long night. Also, me awkwardly working, lol.
 

April 8, 2012
So, this week is going to be pretty busy for me. I just got back from my spring break in Palm Beach, Fl. Ah, the weather was so nice, then i was forced to come back home and be hit with freezing Michigan weather. 90 to 40 degrees? Brrr.  I actually googled some vegan places for the area I was staying, but all the results  either told me a place that went out of business, or the cafe was uber expensive. Such as, Darbster: looked promising, but I was not going to pay 15 dollars for a lunch. No way.  I did however, find some really great  things at these consignment and thrift stores; I basically bought my summer wardrobe, all for under 100 bucks. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.  Back to what I was saying in the beginning, I am going to be so busy this week as I prepare for Gustus Concordia: my senior project event. It’s basically a black tie event consisting of a fashion art, an art gallery, live music, food tasting, and dessert; the dessert being my area of work. I decided on making three items for the night: Coconut macaroons (pictured above, made with flax, chia seed, whole wheat flour, soy milk..), Poached pears(baked in red wine), and mini cupcakes topped with roses made of icing. I am pretty excited for this night to happen, but I am freaking out at the same time. I have never done anything like this catering deal before and I keep imagining all the things that could go wrong. I hopefully go to get ingredients tomorrow, and by Wednesday night I plan to have all or most of the dough made and prepped for Thursday night. I am just keeping my fingers crossed, hoping for this thing to be a success. It’s my senior project, and it needs to turn out so that I can get a decent grade. Anyway, I made these macaroons, which were the easiest thing I have ever made. They take a mininum amount of ingredients, like 6 tbsp of flour,  1 tbsp flax and chia.. and so on. They bake for only 10~12 minutes, and they are crispy on the edge and soft on the inside, not too sweet. Plus, the cherry on top?  The dipping of the macaroon into dark chocolate. MMmmmm. So yeah! Another trial in the kitchen successful.  ~Enjoi

So, this week is going to be pretty busy for me. I just got back from my spring break in Palm Beach, Fl. Ah, the weather was so nice, then i was forced to come back home and be hit with freezing Michigan weather. 90 to 40 degrees? Brrr. 

I actually googled some vegan places for the area I was staying, but all the results  either told me a place that went out of business, or the cafe was uber expensive. Such as, Darbster: looked promising, but I was not going to pay 15 dollars for a lunch. No way. 

I did however, find some really great  things at these consignment and thrift stores; I basically bought my summer wardrobe, all for under 100 bucks. Pretty good deal, if you ask me. 

Back to what I was saying in the beginning, I am going to be so busy this week as I prepare for Gustus Concordia: my senior project event. It’s basically a black tie event consisting of a fashion art, an art gallery, live music, food tasting, and dessert; the dessert being my area of work. I decided on making three items for the night: Coconut macaroons (pictured above, made with flax, chia seed, whole wheat flour, soy milk..), Poached pears(baked in red wine), and mini cupcakes topped with roses made of icing. I am pretty excited for this night to happen, but I am freaking out at the same time. I have never done anything like this catering deal before and I keep imagining all the things that could go wrong. I hopefully go to get ingredients tomorrow, and by Wednesday night I plan to have all or most of the dough made and prepped for Thursday night. I am just keeping my fingers crossed, hoping for this thing to be a success. It’s my senior project, and it needs to turn out so that I can get a decent grade. 

Anyway, I made these macaroons, which were the easiest thing I have ever made. They take a mininum amount of ingredients, like 6 tbsp of flour,  1 tbsp flax and chia.. and so on. They bake for only 10~12 minutes, and they are crispy on the edge and soft on the inside, not too sweet. Plus, the cherry on top?  The dipping of the macaroon into dark chocolate. MMmmmm.

So yeah! Another trial in the kitchen successful. 

~Enjoi

March 27, 2012
This is my Vegan Strawberry Decker Cake.  Actually, this was a failed experiment that I pretty much threw all together. I don’t remember exactly what I was trying to make originally, but I was pretty satisfied with the weird concoction at the end. My cake ended up having a strawberry jelly-like topping, with sweetened tofutti filling in-between the cake layers.  The inside was moist, the topping not too sweet, and the taste all around deeeeeelicious.  Thank you, Thank you.  Want a recipe? Try to make a strawberry cake and then mess it all up. ;) Seriously though, feel free to ask for the recipe.  Enjoi! ~Jess 

This is my Vegan Strawberry Decker Cake. 

Actually, this was a failed experiment that I pretty much threw all together. I don’t remember exactly what I was trying to make originally, but I was pretty satisfied with the weird concoction at the end. My cake ended up having a strawberry jelly-like topping, with sweetened tofutti filling in-between the cake layers. 

The inside was moist, the topping not too sweet, and the taste all around deeeeeelicious. 

Thank you, Thank you. 

Want a recipe? Try to make a strawberry cake and then mess it all up. ;)

Seriously though, feel free to ask for the recipe. 

Enjoi! 
~Jess 

March 27, 2012 • 2 notes
Lunch tomorrow?I think yes. Ma Po Tofu with TVP. Nom.  

Lunch tomorrow?
I think yes. Ma Po Tofu with TVP.

Nom.  

March 27, 2012 • 3 notes
The. Best. Vegan. Chocolate. Chip. Cookie. Recipe. Ever. Well, at least that I have attempted. This recipe actually came off the can of my egg replacers. Pretty cool, huh? Unlike some other recipes, these cookies actually rise pretty high, and are still moist inside. Other recipes I have tried and tasted were either too dry, too thick, or too cardboard tasting. Needless to say, I am super happy to have stumbled upon this recipe, because it’s a keeper for sure.  Here’s the recipe just for you. ^.^ These also contain half the fat of a regular recipe. Bonus. Ingredients~ *1/2 cup vegan butter *3/4 cup sugar *3/4 cup brown sugar *1/2 cup applesauce *1 tsp. vanilla *2 1/4 cup flour (I always use whole wheat)  *2 1/4 tsp egg replacer (I used Instead of Eggs) *1 tsp baking soda *1 tsp salt *1 cup chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli’s 60% premium cacao baking chips) *1 cup chopped nuts (optional) The How-To: Preheat oven to 375 F.  Mix butter and sugars. Add applesauce and vanilla.  Stir dry ingredients well and add all at once to mixture. Stir well, and add chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or when tooth pick inserted comes out clean.  Yield about 5 dozen (small sized)  Variation: Can also add 1/2 cup oat bran to dry ingredients and 2 extra Tbsp. of applesauce. (: Enjoy! Really, these are fantastic! ~Jess

The. Best. Vegan. Chocolate. Chip. Cookie. Recipe. Ever.

Well, at least that I have attempted. This recipe actually came off the can of my egg replacers. Pretty cool, huh? Unlike some other recipes, these cookies actually rise pretty high, and are still moist inside. Other recipes I have tried and tasted were either too dry, too thick, or too cardboard tasting. Needless to say, I am super happy to have stumbled upon this recipe, because it’s a keeper for sure. 

Here’s the recipe just for you. ^.^

These also contain half the fat of a regular recipe. Bonus.

Ingredients~

*1/2 cup vegan butter

*3/4 cup sugar

*3/4 cup brown sugar

*1/2 cup applesauce

*1 tsp. vanilla

*2 1/4 cup flour (I always use whole wheat) 

*2 1/4 tsp egg replacer (I used Instead of Eggs)

*1 tsp baking soda

*1 tsp salt

*1 cup chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli’s 60% premium cacao baking chips)

*1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

The How-To:

Preheat oven to 375 F. 

Mix butter and sugars. Add applesauce and vanilla. 

Stir dry ingredients well and add all at once to mixture.

Stir well, and add chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or when tooth pick inserted comes out clean. 

Yield about 5 dozen (small sized) 

Variation: Can also add 1/2 cup oat bran to dry ingredients and 2 extra Tbsp. of applesauce. (:

Enjoy! Really, these are fantastic!

~Jess

March 27, 2012 • 1 note
It’s the simple things in life that are greater appreciated.  Take this sandwich for instance: Avacado spread (unseasoned), sliced tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and fresh green spinach, all atop a slice of fresh and toasted rye.  Mmm-mmm. Simple pleasures are easy and delish. 

It’s the simple things in life that are greater appreciated. 

Take this sandwich for instance: Avacado spread (unseasoned), sliced tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and fresh green spinach, all atop a slice of fresh and toasted rye. 

Mmm-mmm. Simple pleasures are easy and delish. 

March 27, 2012 • 1 note

To begin with, let me say how frustrating blenders/food processors are. Gosh, I have gone through so many models and brands of both and nothing ever lives up to the things the box promises. Baking and cooking vegan, I need a good processor and/or grinder for nuts and seeds, beans, and veggies. I have been relying on my grandma’s ancient oster blender from like the 1960s. Obviously, it didn’t quite make the cut. So it was high time to move on!

That’s why today, I went and bought myself a Magic Bullet. Now, I usually never, EVER, buy things “seen on TV”, but my vegan friend has a bullet and she said it worked wonders for her and she has owned hers for over two years. 

I gave my bullet a whirl when I returned from the store and wow. Finally! An appliance that actually WORKS! Hallelujah. I made myself a mango icee, pictured above, and also a veggie puree for a soup. Summed up, the bullet is legit, and works amazingly well, not only for smoothies but my seeds and nuts and whole veggies as well. :)

March 15, 2012 • 3 notes

A joy of being woman is certainly the love i possess for some good chocolate. Today I decided to embrace my femininity and make myself some cute and yummy vegan truffles. Again, they were so simple, quick, and super fun to create!

After I finished these babies, I looked down at my creation and was so dang proud of myself. These turned out practically perfect, a rarity for my first tries of any recipe, and tasted downright delicious. I probably felt half as proud as GOD did when he created earth. Wow. 

Either way, give these cuties a shot. Quick and simple, cute and delicious, you’re bound to enjoy them. 

Recipe:

*One bag of your favorite vegan chocolate chips

*One eight oz. tub of vegan cream cheese ( I use tofutti)

*About a cup of your preferred sweetener

*Garnishes of your choosing ( I used cocoa powder, coconut flakes, and chopped pecans)

Procedure: 

In a double boiler ( Or stick a metal bowl on top of a pot of boiling water like I do) melt the bag of chocolate chips. 

In a small bowl, mix with a blender, your cream cheese and sweetener. Once the chocolate chips are melted, let them cool for about two minutes, and add them to your cream cheese mixture. 

After everything is blending, stick the bowl in the fridge and let cool for about an hour. After an hour has passed, take the bowl out of the fridge and roll the dough into mini-sized balls and place on parchment paper or cookie tray.

Lastly, assemble your toppings on the tray or paper. I separated three sections, one for cocoa, one for coconut, and one for the nuts. Then roll your dough-balls into whichever topping and set them on a tray to put back in the fridge to set. 

I let mine set overnight because I made them in the evening and went to bed. They turned out really well, but you could probably leave them for a few hours and would probably be good to go. Ya know, if you just couldn’t wait to get your chocolate fill. :)

Well, enjoy!

~Jess

March 14, 2012 • 4 notes

Last weekend, I finally had some time to myself, so I decided to bake. (But, of course.) I had been wanting to make something with my green tea powder that I purchased in China town, so I decided to make some green tea cupcakes. 

I got the recipe off of some article on google. Now, that actual cupcake turned out rather well. I ended up making minis and I probably ate about five of them myself. :o

However, the icing recipe was not my cup of tea. It didn’t taste good, if it tasted like anything at all, and it didn’t look good either. Next time, maybe I will just do without the frosting altogether.