Cheesy Shishito Biscuits (Vegetarian)

Happy (belated) American Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Long Weekend!

I apologize that I didn’t get this recipe out to you in time for any Friendsgivings potlucks or family dinners you might have had. But if it makes you feel better, I almost regretted bringing these biscuits to a Friendsgiving potluck, because I wanted to save them all for myself instead 😉

I took a 3 ingredient biscuit recipe and ended up making it ahem…more complicated. But the little extra effort is worth it.  The star of this recipe (yogurt) makes this batch taste different than your plain old buttery biscuit but they have all the essentials of a star batch: Moist on  the inside, a little crumbly and crisp on the outside.

Even more, these pretty ones are sizzling with flavour: The shishito peppers add a kick but offer less fire than say, jalapenos, though you could certainly turn it up a notch and sub in spicier peppers. But even if you get the odd mouthful of spice, the cheesy bready surroundings will round it out.

 

INGREDIENTS:
Makes 12 relatively large biscuits.

• 1 2/3 cup plain yogurt
• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (I used extra sharp cheddar)
• 3 tbsp shishito peppers, finely chopped (I left the seeds inside but you can remove them for less spice, more flavour)
• Splash of almond milk (literally). Or other milk substitute of your choice.
• 1 tbsp olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add yogurt, salt, baking powder.
3. Slowly add in flour, quarter cup at a time, mixing well. But don’t overmix yet; it’s OK if the dough is a bit lumpy.
4. Fold in cheese and pepper, making sure that the flavours are well distributed.
5. Add in a splash of almond milk (literally!) and olive oil, folding in these final ingredients into the dough. By now, the dough should be well mixed but relatively goopy (a technical term) and sticky.
6. On a greased cookie sheet, drop small lumps of batter into the shape desired. I used a 1/4 cup measure since the dough is quite sticky, and the cup measure helps achieve more consistency in shape.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned.
8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve.

Doubledecker Baked Nachos (Vegetarian)

These are “nacho” ordinary chips.

Usually, I try not to take too many food pics in public. Or be too fickle with the way things are presented on a plate…or the lighting…or the garnishes.

But when my friend and fellow blogger Viola (check out: Stylish Wanderers and Wanderer’s Pantry) drops by for the weekend, food pics are part of what we do. Cooking meals together is also what we do. So after a long day of walking ALL up and down Cambridge/Somerville, and shivering in the non-summer weather, it’s time for a Saturday night in: Nachos, wine, and Netflix.

These beauties are super easy to make, loaded with veggies, and taste better than those sad restaurant nachos where after a few exciting cheese-filled bites, you’re left with naked tortilla chips. The trick? Tuck in some filling between 2 layers of chips, and top it all off with some more beans, cheese, and the works.

Throw it in the oven for a couple minutes until the cheese gets all gooey and you’re good to go!

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2-3 (Meal sized servings)

• 3 Cloves of garlic
• 4 Green onion bulbs
• 15-20 grape tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil
• 1 Can of black beans
• Approx.¼ chopped cilantro

• Approx. half a bag of tortilla chips of your choice (I mixed it up using two different types of chips including Trader Joe’s Vegetable Flax Seed and Black Bean Quinoa Chips)
• Approx.¼ cup of salsa (I used Trader Joe’s Double roasted salsa)
• Approx.½ cup of grated cheese (I used Gruyere since that’s all I had!)
• Guacamole, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Mince up the garlic and cilantro. Divide chopped cilantro into 2 halves, one for each layer of filling.
3. Slice up the green onion and divide into halves, roughly separating the bottom ends (onion) from the top ends (shoots). Further divide the shoots into two halves, one for each layer of filling.
4. Slice grape tomatoes in half and rinse out the canned black beans.
5. Add oil to a frying pan and heat on medium high. Add in garlic, onion-y portions of the green onion and fry lightly (3-4 minutes). Add in tomatoes and green beans and cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened. Using your spatula, press down on the beans to “smush” them a little.
6. In a baking dish (we used a glass pie plate), layer tortilla chips on the bottom.
7. Spoon on half of the bean mixture, and half of grated cheese, salsa, chopped cilantro and onion shoots.
8. Layer on more tortilla chips atop the mixture and repeat step 7.
9. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Lay out some salsa and guac (and libations) so that people can help themselves. Bon appetit!

DISCLAIMER: 

Not sponsored by Trader Joe’s. Just live really close to one.

Rosemary-Olive Beer Bread (Vegan)

Yup, you read that title correctly.

For the weeks when you have midterms, late meetings or apartment-viewings (or all of the above). For when you don’t have enough time to make breakfast, lunch AND/OR dinner: This recipe’s for you. A loaf of this will last you a week, and serve as a great base for versatile meals, including open-faced sandwiches (more on those later) and pairings for soups or salads.

I first had beer bread at the Rabbit Hole Cafe in Montreal: a vegan pay-what-you-can cafe tucked in the basement of The Yellow Door. So beer bread brings back special memories of Friday lunches with friends, taking refuge from classes and the dead of winter, and sharing tea, piano songs and laughter.

Because I like my bread to have stuff in it, I amped up the classic recipe with rosemary and olives, and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds and oats. And while most beer bread recipes call for lagers, I used an ale (Sam Adams Cold Snap) because I was intrigued by the “blend of exotic fruits & spices including orange peel, plum, hibiscus & fresh ground coriander” … and because it was the only beer I had lying around.

The result was a dense and fragrant bread. The top was firm, the middle a little crumble-y and cake-y and the flavours subtle enough to complement whatever you may put on top.

INGREDIENTS:

Bread:

• 2 ½  cups of all purpose flour
• 1 bottle of beer of your choice (I used Sam Adams Cold Snap*)
• ⅓  cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½  tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1 – 2 teaspoons sea salt

Mix-ins: 

• 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary
• ½ cup of sliced olives (Both canned and fresh work)
• Roasted pumpkin seeds, to sprinkle
• Oats, to sprinkle

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift and combine flour, salt and baking powder.
3. Add in the olive oil and mix coarsely.
4. Crack open a bottle of beer and pour it into the mixture (If you sneak in a sip or two, you’re forgiven!).
5. Wait a few seconds for the fizzing to stop, and mix the beer in thoroughly, until a batter-like consistency is reached.
6. Drizzle on the maple syrup and mix into the batter.
7. Chop up the rosemary** and the olives and add to mixing bowl.
8. Fold in the mix-ins with a spatula.
9. Transfer dough to baking pan**. Sprinkle on oats, pumpkin seeds or other toppings, pressing lightly onto the top of the dough.
10. Bake for 50 minutes until the top is browned and the insides are cooked.

*DISCLAIMER:

 We are not endorsed by Sam Adams or anyone else. We wish we were.

**NOTES:

• Before chopping the rosemary, try to break apart or crush the leaves with your hands. This will release the natural oils and lend to more fragrance. After doing so, run your knife over the leaves to coarsely chop into smaller pieces.
• Please use a bread pan  and/or avoid filling up the baking pan the whole way like I did. Otherwise you’ll get a weirdly shaped loaf like mine. And if the rising loaf is not contained by the baking pan, rogue pumpkin seeds may fall off in the hot oven and cause you to fret over the house burning down.

…Veganish: experimenting and (occasionally) making mistakes, so that you don’t have to.

Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Muffins (vegetarian)

There’s a saying French that starts off with “déjeuner comme un roi” and another in Mandarin that goes “早饭吃得好”. They essentially say the same thing – dine like a king in the morn, so that you’re booted up for the rest of the day. When I lived on my own, breakfast always consisted of a bowl of oatmeal with a sliced banana, another fruit (usually apple, kiwi, or berries) and a sprinkling of nuts and raisins. Excellent for the clearing the digestive tract ;). Now that I’ve moved back to a household of 5, meals are all about economy of scale. Without sacrificing the nutrition and taste, of course. Breakfast at home typically consists of healthy pastries with a cup of warm soy or almond milk (the warmth may be an Asian thing… supposedly it aids digestion). So you’ve got your starchy energy and liquid protein. Mid-morning, after my bike ride to work and answering emails, I like to top it off with a nice ripe banana – can’t do without that potassium and fibre! The family recently went down to Cali for spring break, and we visited some old friends in their gigantic LA mansion. The pool, built-in slide, and basketball court were alright, but my favourite part was their citrus trees! They had oranges, grapefruit, and lemons growing right in their backyard. Organic, of course. And they were amazing.

We brought a couple fruits for the road, and I just so happened to find one of these giant lemons sitting in our fridge the other day – literally the size of my hand. Naturally, I thought – lemon muffins! This was a fun recipe to make. The best – or worst, depending on how clean you like your kitchen – is getting the batter into the tins! If you have an ice scream scoop, make use of it! Either way, get ready for some zesty splatter.

INGREDIENTS: For 12 large or 24 medium-size muffins  

Wet ingredients:

• 1 cup plain soymilk / almond milk
• juice + zest of 1 large lemon (or 2 small lemons)
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup applesauce
• 3 eggs

Dry ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt

Mix-in’s:

• 2 cups blueberries
• 1 cup nuts for extra crunch (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grate your lemon for zest, then squeeze out all the juice.
3. Beat the eggs, then combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
5. Mix your dry ingredients into the wet bowl. Mix until smooth.
6. Stir in the blueberries.
7. Line the muffin tins with compostable liners or vegetable oil. Spoon in your batter with an ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. The top should be slightly browned and a toothpick should come out clean.
9. Cool, share, and enjoy!

Mama’s Deluxe Banana Bread (vegetarian/vegan)

We’re about a month and a half late for National Banana Bread Day in the U.S. (February 23^rd) but in Canada, we don’t need a reason to celebrate this all-time classic. Banana bread or loaf cakes are like chocolate chip cookies – a crowd-pleaser whether you’re dressin’ to impress the omnivores or just kicking back for afternoon tea. First potluck with the new gang? Can’t go wrong with banana bread. Everyone’s got their favourite recipe for banana bread. This one is straight from my mama’s recipe stash. After years of drooling over other kids’ Dunkaroos and Lunchables, I’m finally proud to say that my mom’s a bit of a health freak. She doesn’t by the whole diet-labeling ordeal (and neither do I anymore), but for the sake of ease this recipe is both dairy-free and made with whole wheat flour. You can veganize it by substituting eggs with flax seed, and gluten-free by subbing wheat flour with a gluten-free flour mix. The best part of baking is customizing. Got a sweet tooth? Mix in some chocolate or carob chips! I like to ease up on the sugar and load mine with berries and nuts – for that juicy burst of flavor and nutty crunch. INGREDIENTS: For an 8’ x 4’ pan (makes 8-10 servings) Wet ingredients:

• 1-3 eggs (or equivalent flax seed substitute)
• 3-4 super ripe bananas
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup brown sugar

Dry ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour mix)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon flax seed for extra fibre (optional)

Fun add-ons (optional):

• ½ cup berries (frozen blueberries, blackberries)
• ½ cup nuts (sunflower seeds, walnuts, almond slivers)
• chocolate/carob chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, mash the bananas and add in all the wet ingredients, putting in the sugar last. Mix into a slushy consistency.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix, stirring until you get a smooth consistency with no lumps.
5. Stir in your fun add-ons: berries, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.
6. Line your baking pan with parchment paper (compostable) or vegetable oil, then pour in the mixture.
7. For decoration, sprinkle some nuts on the top, but not too many so that they burn.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick/fork comes out clean.
9. Cool, slice, and enjoy!

OAT FIG SQUARES (VEGETARIAN / VEGAN)

I love mornings.

The most idyllic of days include waking up early, brewing coffee, cooking breakfast and lounging around listening to the radio.

…That being said, such mornings are rare in grad school.

So for the days when I wake up at 6:30 to catch the 7:30 bus for an 8:30 class, I have to take my breakfast-to-go. Packing your own breakfast is often cheaper, healthier, more satisfying and more accommodating of dietary restrictions. And it’s not too inconvenient if you plan it properly. One of my favourite to-go breakfasts are these oat fig squares, both because of their convenience and because of their tastes.

Think of it as the best Nutrigrain bar you’ve ever had…it’s hearty, not too sweet, a little crumbly, and a little gooey. I make a batch on Sundays, store it in the fridge and throw two squares in the oven each morning to warm up. Pair it with coffee, yogurt and fruit (all easily transportable) and you’re on your way.

The recipe is easy and versatile. Takes less than an hour to prep and bake. Want a change of flavours for different weeks? Swap out the filling with different jams.  Or try a nut butter filling and drizzle maple syrup on top. I’m already dreaming of making a pumpkin-pie version to make in the fall!

INGREDIENTS:

For six squares:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup oats
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup milk (or almond milk)
• ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup or agave)
• ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ~ 4 tablespoons of Fig Butter (or jam/nut butter of choice. Or make a fig filling from scratch)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, combine the milk and honey and whisk together till smooth.
3. Add in vanilla extract and canola oil and mix till blended.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, mix flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.
5. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture, mixing well.
6. Spoon half of the oat mixture into a greased baking pan (mine was ~ 15 cm x 10 cm). Spread and press down the mixture so that it covers the bottom of the pan, and is about 1 cm deep.
7. Spoon the fig butter on top of the oat mixture. Spread it across the pan, taking care to leave a 1 cm margin around the edges. Add more butter if you want it extra gooey.
8. Add the remaining half of the oat mixture and spread it to cover the filling. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
9. Bake for 20 minutes. The top crust should be lightly browned.
10. Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting into squares.

…and if you’re like me, try not to eat it all in one go.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: 

This recipe was adapted from GaylaJ’s recipe on Food.com.