Cantaloupe and Mango Slushie

On Saturday, Austin and I left the only apartment complex we've lived in in North Carolina (Pinnacle Ridge, it's been real) and moved into a townhome complex on the other side of Durham. We hired TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers) to do our moving and they were absolutely fantastic and very affordable. As my mother would say, "Luxury is being able to hire movers".

While all our stuff is in our new place, most hasn't found its way out of the boxes. The only rooms I would say are fully set up are our two and a half bathrooms and the kitchen. Even though I tried prioritize putting the kitchen together, we just finished setting up it  up a couple days ago. After about five days of eating out (I'm always surprised by how old that can get), I cooked my first meal in our new home yesterday (black bean tacos with guacamole and salsa verde, in case you're wondering). I like our new kitchen a lot, but I'm still getting used to everything being in a different place, so much so that I find myself opening several cabinets to find a single utensil. Foreshadowing of my future senile self? I hope not!

Since I haven't gotten back into creative cooking mode yet, I'd like to share another recipe (although it's so simple it barely qualifies as such) I've been hoarding. This slushie was born out of necessity, really; I needed to make a dent in our CSA cantaloupe before the move and relief from the super humid heat. I added some lime juice, mango and ice to the cantaloupe and the result was summer in a glass. For an even more exciting drink (more exciting than mango, cantaloupe and lime? Imposible!) use your favorite spirit in place of the water.

Cantaloupe and Mango Slushie
Makes about 4 cups

• 2 1/2 cups cold chopped cantaloupe
• 1 cup frozen chopped mango
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup cold water (you could also substitute a spirit of your choice; I think vodka would be quite good)
• 1/2 cup ice cubes

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately, garnished with a lime for a bit of flair.

No Fat Added Mango Banana Scones

When I was a kid, we had a Marks and Spencer in our town which carried some pretty exotic (at least to me at the time) British treats. I remember my mom bringing home crumpets, shortbread cookies and, my favorites, scones. Deliciously buttery, doughy and only slightly sweet, they were tea time (and breakfast) perfection.

I'm sure part of what made those scones so tasty was an generous amount of butter. Now, if I could, I'd eat a (non-dairy) fat laden scone every time I craved one, but then I'd have to replace my whole wardrobe which would be an expensive proposition. When the need for scones strikes, I could whip up a batch of these oatmeal scones with strawberries. They're made with a modest amount of fat, some whole wheat flour, fruit and oatmeal so they're sort of healthy, right? Well since it's bathing suit season, but I still don't want to give up treats, I tried to get away with using no fat at all.

The result was pretty fantastic. While they're not nearly as decadent as the ones I remember from Marks & Spencer, they definitely hit the spot. They go stale pretty quickly though, like most fat-free baked goods. Fear not though, you don't have to eat all eight scones in one go (although you might want to). Give them a 15-30 second zap in the microwave or slowly warm them up the toaster oven and they'll be almost as good as freshly baked. If you're one of those people that has diet drinks with rich meals, you might want to to slather some Earth Balance onto these fat free goodies. Some preserves would lovely be on them too if you'd like to keep it light. If you're a true scone lover like me, though, you might want to eat them straight up, so as not to mess with their deliciousness.

No Fat Added Mango Banana Scones
Makes 8 scones

• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour plus a little extra for dusting
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium banana (make sure to use one that's on the greener side and has been in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla non-dairy milk (if using unflavored milk add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
• Zest of 1 medium lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup chopped mango (or any other fruit you'd like)
• Optional: Confectioners sugar for dusting 

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C. In the bowl of your food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the banana and pulse until you can see about pea sized pieces of banana in the flour mixture.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk, lemon zest, juice and vanilla if using. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a few strokes of a spatula. Add the mango and mix the dough until just combined. Try not to overmix the dough or you'll end up with tough scones. The dough will be pretty sticky, but don't worry, it will work out in the end.

3.  With lightly floured hands, form a ball with an eighth of the dough. Place the ball on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet and flatten it slightly. Repeat for the remaining seven scones. Bake in the middle rack of your oven for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of them comes out clean and the bottoms are golden brown. For some extra sweetness and a pretty touch, dust the scones with some confectioners sugar. Server warm, with some non-dairy butter and/or preserves if you'd like.

No-Bake Strawberry Coconut Cream Pie

It all started when I saw this strawberry tart post on a food blog from the homeland I've been following for some time, El Comidista. "I wanted a strawberry tart of my own too!", I said as I threw my hands in the air and stomped my feet, "but I want a vegan one!". Once my temper tantrum subsided, the idea of a vegan strawberry tart retreated to the back of my mind, that is, until I saw some delicious looking strawberries at the Durham Farmer's Market. Beautiful berries in hand, I came up with a way to make a crust and but I was still unsure of how I'd give the filling the right texture. That's when I remembered an intimidating ingredient I'd read about in numerous vegan cookbooks -- agar-agar.

Agar-agar is a substance extracted from algae most commonly used as vegan replacement for gelatin, which is made from collagen found inside animal bones. The main reason I hadn't used it before was that I didn't know where to purchase it for a reasonable price. Thanks to the interwebs, I found out that you can buy it quite cheaply at Asian markets. So drove over to Li Ming's Global Mart, Durham's new and amazing Asian store, and found it in powdered form for about $1.50 per 28 grams. Score. As soon as I got back from Li Ming's I used my agar-agar to make jelly, but I'll save that for another post.

Thanks to the agar-agar, the pie filling had exactly the texture I'd hoped it would. As for it's flavor, it's not intensely sweet so if that's how you prefer your desserts you'll have to add a bit more maple syrup. The crust is so tasty I could eat it on its own, and maybe I will some day, formed into bars or rolled into balls. It also holds up to slicing, although as with any pie, the crust may crumble off the first slice. While this pie may look as decadent as the tart I was inspired by, it's not. However, having a relatively healthy pie on hand isn't so bad. I used it as an excuse to eat a slice for my birthday breakfast. Why? Because I'll only turn a quarter of a century once.

No-Bake Strawberry Coconut Cream Pie
Inspired by El Comidista's Tarta Sin Horno de Fresas, Crema, y Queso (No Oven Strawberry, Cream and Cheese Tart)  
Makes 1 pie

For the crust

• 1 1/2  cups almonds or other nut of choice
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 4 large pitted dates
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

For the filling

• About 15 medium strawberries, or as many as you need to top the pie, stems removed and halved lengthwise
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons maple syrup or to taste
• 1 lb 4 oz / 567 g silken tofu
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
• 2 1/2 teaspoons agar-agar powder or 2 1/2 tablespoons of agar-agar flakes
• Optional: 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut for garnish

1.  Toss the almonds and the shredded coconut in the food processor and whiz until the almonds have been reduced to very small pieces. Add the rest of the crust ingredients and process until a uniform mixture has formed. Transfer into a 9 inch pie pan and press into a uniform layer along the bottom and sides of the dish using damp hands. Let the crust chill in the fridge until the filling is ready for it.
2.   Combine the strawberries, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons maple syrup in a bowl, stirring to make sure the strawberries are evenly coated. Set aside.
3.  After rinsing out your food processor, toss in the tofu, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, 1/4 cup maple syrup and coconut oil and process until creamy. Bring the almond milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to a simmer and mix in the agar agar. Cook whisking continuously for 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add in the tofu mixture and continue to whisk for another 3 minutes. Pour the mixture into the crust.
4.  Drain the strawberries and arrange artfully (or not) them on the top of the pie. Optionally, sprinkle the top with some shredded coconut. Cover the pie and place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour before enjoying it.

Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread

When I was growing up we had fruit for dessert after every meal. For a while I got to choose what kind of fruit I wanted and I almost always picked bananas, my favorite. After a few years my father decided that I was eating too many bananas and he cut me off, forcing me to choose other fruits. He now denies ever instituting such a ridiculous prohibition but my mother and I know the truth. Since my mother continued to buy almost as many bananas as she used to, but I was rarely allowed to go near them, I had to watch sadly as they turned spotted, then brown and finally completely black. In an effort to use up this surplus of overripe my mother started making banana bread.

From the beginning of her banana bread making days until now my mother has used the same recipe --- the one found in The Joy of Cooking. I became well acquainted with the recipe myself as soon as I was old enough to bake on my own. Heck, even my banana-hating father would bake a loaf every now and then. The recipe is practically an institution in my parents' home. Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a classic recipe (after all, I am the girl who ate exclusively French vanilla ice cream for the first twelve years of her life) but I thought I could jazz up, and veganize, an old favorite. My parents and I agree this new version is as good, if not better, than the original.

Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
Veganized and otherwise adapted from The Joy of Cooking's Quick Banana Bread recipe
Makes 1 loaf

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of very ripe banana pulp or about 2 medium brown-skinned bananas
• 1/3 cup Earth Balance or other non-hydrogenated non-dairy butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup lite or regular silken tofu
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon rind

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Grease, and optionally lightly flour, a loaf pan.
2.  Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt together into a large bowl and set aside. Put the rest of the ingredients in the food processor and whiz them until they're smooth. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix using a spatula until just combined. Transfer the dough into the loaf pan, smoothing the top with your spatula.
3.  Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Once baked, let the bread sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the loaf and then carefully flip it onto a plate.

Vegan Oatmeal Scones with Strawberries

When I saw this scone recipe on Smitten Kitchen yesterday I new I would have to make my own version immediately. You see, I really love scones. I like that I can't get them everywhere, unlike, say, a muffin, which makes them seem like a special treat. I also appreciate subtle sweetness, and their typically fruity flavors. I especially enjoy slightly warm, slathered with some non-dairy butter which is exactly how I'm eating them as I type this. I decided that since I usually put butter on my scones I'd better use a bit less butter in them so I substituted part of it for applesauce. After all, bikini season is drawing near, but that doesn't mean you have to go without baked goods; no bathing suit is worth that kind of a sacrifice. Instead of buttermilk, I used almond milk with some vinegar. I also added some lemon zest for brightness, some vanilla because I just can't help myself, and a dusting of sugar for decoration. The result is a moist, fruity and hearty treat that you should definitely try your hand at this weekend. 

Vegan Oatmeal Scones with Strawberries
Veganized and otherwise adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Oatmeal and Maple Syrup Scones 
Makes 8 scones

• 2 cups / 8 6/7 oz / 250 g of all purpose flour plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 cup / 2 1/4 oz / 64 g of rolled quick cooking or instant oats
• 1/2 cup / 2 3/4 oz / 80 grams of whole wheat flour
• 1 heaping tablespoon of baking powder
• 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar plus extra for dusting 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 / 5 1/2 oz / 160 g cup cold unsalted, non-hydrogenated non-dairy butter (I used Earth Balance)
• 1/2 cup / 60 ml unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons of almond or other non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider or other vinegar
• Zest of one lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Optional: 3/4 cup fresh strawberries or other fresh or dried fruit

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 F / 204 C. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk and the vinegar. Let stand for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly.  Add the maple syrup, vanilla, lemon zest and applesauce, whisking to combine.
2.  In a large mixing bowl, mix the flours, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt. Incorporate the butter into the mixture using your hands. By the time you're done doing so, you should have small pea-sized pieces of butter uniformly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.
3.  Form a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, using a spatula to combine. A few strokes before the dough has come together, fold in the strawberries. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, dusting it with some flour if it's too sticky to handle, and form it into a square about 1 1/4 inch / 3 cm high. Cut the square into 4 smaller ones and then cut each of those diagonally into two triangles.
4.  Place the scones onto a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet and cook for 17-20 minutes or until they're golden brown on top. Serve smeared with butter and jam with your favorite tea or breakfast beverage.

Around the World in Four Courses

Last night Austin and I had our downstairs neighbors, Sidarth and Vatsala, over for dinner. Instead of creating a cohesive menu around one type of cuisine, I decided to draw each course from a different culture keeping veggies (or fruit) as the star. First we started with some French inspired toasts. Austin is obsessed with leeks and I really love mushrooms so I decided to marry both ingredients, doused in wine, to make a savory, saucy and delicious topping to some hearty toasts. Next, we tasted the Mexican flavors of a sweet potato salad that has become a staple in our house and will blow the socks off that mayo-covered white stuff people serve at picnics. Try it if you don't believe me.  We then briefly visited Italy thanks to Sidarth and Vatsala's amazing veggie lasagna, which I've been meaning to make a version of. Lastly, we had an American dessert with a Caribbean twist. Who new coconut and rum could give another life to a simple crisp? All this good, honest food and even better company made for a wonderful evening.

Mushroom and Leek Toast
Makes about 6 large toasts

• 6 thick slices of hearty bread, rubbed with garlic, toasted and drizzled with olive oil (I made this with some sun dried tomato and olive bread. I'll share the recipe soon)
• 4 oz / 115 g each of fresh shiitake and cremini mushrooms (or you can substitute other varieties), wiped with a damp cloth, stemmed and sliced
• 3 leeks, white and light green parts, cut into quarters lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon non-dairy butter (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.   Heat the butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until they start to soften, about 2 minutes.
2.  Toss in the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown or about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, leeks, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until the leeks have softened and the garlic is fragrant, about another 5 minutes.
4. Pour the wine in and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook until the liquid has reduced by about half, which should take 5-7 minutes. Mix in the parsley. Taste, adjust the seasonings and serve warm on top of toasted bread.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans and Chili Dressing
Adapted from a recipe Mark Bittman wrote for the New York Times
Serves 6 as a side, 3 as main course

• 1 lb / 455 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into about 3/4 inch dice
• 1 large red onion, chopped into pieces a bit smaller than the potatoes
• 1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped into about 1/2 inch squares
• 1 15 oz / 425 g can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 jalapeño, roughly chopped and seeded if you don't like heat
• 1/8 cup lime juice, approximately the juice of 3 limes
• 3/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 F. Arrange the sweet potatoes and onions on a sheet pan, drizzle them with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon  ground black pepper. Roast 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the onions are brown in some spots.
2.  While the vegetables are cooking, process or blend the oil, lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper until the dressing is smooth.
4. Once the vegetables are roasted, put them in large bowl, pour the dressing over them, add the beans, pepper and cilantro and mix until all the ingredients are coated in the dressing. Taste and adjust the oil, lime juice and seasonings to taste. Chill for a couple hours (although I have eaten this salad warm and it's just as delicious) and serve.

Banana-Berry Caribbean Crisp
Inspired by Banana Crumble in Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's "The Joy of Vegan Baking"
Makes 4-5 servings

• 2 bananas, cut into about 1/4 inch slices
• 2 1/2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen (I used a frozen mix of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries from Trader Joe's)
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dry unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup non-dairy butter (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C Grease a 9-inch pie dish and add the fruit (if using frozen, there's no need to thaw it), lime juice, rum and maple syrup, stirring to evenly mix.
2.  Mix the oats, flour, sugar, coconut, non-dairy butter and spices using your hands until the the butter is evenly distributed and all the ingredients are evenly combined.
3.  Cover the fruit with the topping. Press down on the topping with your hands to compact it and even it out. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve warm with some creamy tofu topping. 

Creamy Tofu Topping
Adapted from Whipped Tofu Topping in Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's "The Joy of Vegan Baking"
Makes about 3 cups

• 1 1 lb / 455 g package of lite silken tofu
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or other non-dairy milk
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• A pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate for at least a couple hours. Enjoy on top of your favorite pie, cobbler, crisp, cake or granola. This would also make a delicious dip for almost any fruit.

Chocolate Frosted Orange Muffins

I found out from one of the million Duke email lists I'm on, and don't remember signing up for, that Duke's Nutrition Services was having a healthy dessert contest called Smart Sweets. Someone suggested that I enter so I went home, threw a bunch of stuff together and voilá, these muffins were born. (Ok, maybe it wasn't that easy, but you get the picture.) I know they look more like a cupcake, but texture wise they're more of a muffin. Whatever you want to call them, I thought they were really tasty and considered my opinion confirmed when Austin had several of them. You see, he usually ignores my alluring baked goods so I just end up bringing treats in to my lab.

In the first phase of the contest, the recipes were judged only by the description, which I've included below (it's a bit over the top but, what can I say, I was selling it hard), and the ingredient list. Since I made it though the first phase to the semifinals, I got to participate in a bake-off yesterday. Each dessert faced off against the other desserts in their category (luxury, fruit inclusive or vegan) for a chance to be in the finals. One finalist from each category have their dessert prepared by Duke Dinning Services in mass quantities to serve at the Great Hall on March 28th for students to choose the overall winner. So... guess who won the vegan category? That'd be me! I'll keep you posted on the results of the final bake-off but in the mean time, have yourselves some muffins.  

Chocolate Frosted Orange Muffins
Makes 10-11 muffins

These aren't your mama's muffins. That is, unless your mother was a baking ninja that could make delicious treats using tofu, avocado, oranges and chocolate. The muffin is so moist you won't miss the artery-clogging butter and using the whole orange (yes, peel and all) makes the muffin taste especially bright. The frosting is thick, creamy and ... made with avocado! Say whaaaat?! Yes, avocado. Trust its goodness. It's also chocoholic approved, since it has almost a full bar of 100 % cacao baking chocolate in it. Check (most of) your guilt at the door though. Each muffin has more protein than an egg, 25% of your daily dose of calcium, over 50% of the manganese you need in a day, and about 20% of your daily fiber. Too good to be true? I think not!*

Ingredients

For the muffins

• 1 whole medium orange, washed
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil (canola, sunflower, light-tasting olive oil, or other heart healthy oil)
• 3/4 cup firm tofu
• 1 and 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (white sugar would work as well)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting

• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 2 oz / 86 g / 1/4 cup silken tofu  (must be silken for the frosting to be smooth)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3 oz / 85 g 100% cocoa baking chocolate bar (Ghiradelli makes a good one)
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C.

            2. Break the chocolate up into pieces and put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until all the chocolate has melted. Set the chocolate aside to cool.

            3. Let’s put those sweet knife skills to use. Carefully cut off the orange peel, trying to get as little pith (the bitter white stuff) as possible. Next, cut off the pith of the orange until all you have left is juicy orange goodness. Cut the orange up into chunks and toss into the food processor along with the orange part of the peel. If your orange has very thin skin (or little to no pith), you can avoid all this hassle and just cut up the whole orange.

           4. Put the brown sugar, oil and vanilla into the food processor along with the orange. Blend until smooth, using a spatula to scrape down the sides if necessary.

           5. In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder and baking soda.

           6. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined.

           7. Grease a muffin tin with some vegetable oil or cooking spray. Alternatively, use cupcake liners. Fill the cups until they’re almost full.

           8. Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

           9. While the muffins are baking, make the frosting.  Put all the frosting ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth. This will take at least a couple minutes .

     10. When muffins are done, cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

     11. Once muffins are room temperature, top them with the frosting. If you want to get fancy, you can put the frosting into a plastic bag, snip off a corner of it and use it as a piping bag. If not, you can always use a spoon to plop some of the frosting on each muffin, then use a knife or spatula smooth it out.

*Nutrition facts calculated using this website. Daily values based on a 2000 calorie diet.