Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

New version of Butter-y Spread made with liquid oil and a small amount of cocoa butter or a bit more of coconut oil for a more solid texture and no separating.  This works well with either soy or non-soy versions.

In this post, have steamlined my easy, inexpensive Vegan Butter-y Spread and added a version using cruelty-free coconut oil instead of cocoa butter for those who cannot access affordable, organic, fair trade cocoa butter (especially here in Canada). It also includes a non-soy version.

I was going to post it in a revised version of the last post I did on this recipe, but I decided to keep this post relatively short and steer you to the older post if you want more info on cruelty-free coconut oil (and why that's important) and on cocoa butter.
So here's the post with all that info: What do I mean by "cruelty-free"?

A word about affordability:

Use organic, fair trade cocoa butter, if you can.  If you live in the USA, this is a reliable vendor with decent prices-- Chocolate Alchemy.

Affordable prices are harder to find in Canada, so you might want to try using an organic natural, UN-deodorized cocoa butter, which is cheaper, from a health food store [wafers or chunks].  It's such a small amount that it may not make a difference.

Use Cruelty-Free coconut oil. In Canada, Nutiva seems to be a good buy.  "Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is unrefined, cold pressed, GMO-free, and made from fresh coconuts. All of their coconut oil products are human-picked, but look for the Fair Trade logo when purchasing."

"If you shop at Trader Joe’s [in the USA], you might be glad to know that their coconut oil is human-picked and certified organic. In their Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil,  the main ingredient featured is fresh coconuts that are cold-pressed."
(Both quotes from:
http://www.vildamagazine.com/2016/03/coconut-oil-cruelty-free/ )

So, without further ado:



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S NEW, EASY PALM OIL-FREE VEGAN BUTTER-Y SPREAD 
Revised August 30, 2019
(Soy & Non-Soy versions; made with liquid oil and a small amount of either cocoa butter or coconut oil)

© Bryanna Clark Grogan 2019.   All rights reserved.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups for cocoa butter version; 2 cups for coconut oil version

This is an inexpensive, delicious and easy-to-make butter-y spread to use on bread, toast, muffins, etc., in sauces on and cooked vegetables.  It may not be firm enough to use in place of butter or solid margarine in some baking-- though it often works if used in a frozen state. Frozen, both are firm and can be scraped with a knife to use on toast, etc..

NON-SOY VARIATION:
Instead of soymilk, use a non-sweet (original) coconut creamer, or you can use a creamy sort of plant-based milk that has a pleasant taste. (Rice milk is too thin).  
NOTE: Silk and So Delicious brands use cruelty-free coconut products.

**NOTE: March 2020  This is an amalgamated, revised and updated version of my three previous posts on making this easy and delicious homemade vegan Butter-y Spread; and also making the clean-up much less of a hassle!

#1.) Ingredient List for Cocoa Butter Version:(see recipe intro for non-soy version)Makes 1 1/2 cups

Mix A:
1/2 cup soy milk (I used Silk Organic Original) 
3/4 tsp lemon juice
1/2-1 tsp. fine salt  
3/4 cup neutral tasting oil of your choice
2 tsp liquid soy or sunflower lecithin
Mix B:
1 1/2 oz.(44g) steam-deodorized organic cocoa butter, melted to make 1/4 cup
(See note on cocoa butter above photo)
1/2 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum
pinch tumeric (optional)

#2) Ingredient List for the Coconut Oil Version:(see recipe intro for non-soy version)

Makes 2 cups
Mix A:
1/2 cup soy milk (I used Silk Organic Original) 
3/4 tsp. lemon juice
1/2-1 tsp. fine salt
3/4 cup liquid oil of your choice
2 tsp. liquid soy or sunflower lecithin
Mix B:
3/4 cup cruelty-free refined coconut oil, melted (See approved cruelty-free brands here.)
1 1/2-2 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum 
(NOTE: More of this gum is required for the coconut oil version than the cocoa butter version because cocoa butter sets much more firmly than coconut oil.)
1/8 tsp. tumeric (optional)

Important Note: I melt the cocoa butter or coconut oil  in a 1 qt. Pyrex pitcher in the microwave for a few minutes at medium power. If you prefer, place the pitcher in a saucepan with hot water and heat over medium heat until it melts. Either way, remove carefully using a potholder. 

New, easier instructions (and easier clean-up, too!):
Pour the milk, lemon juice, salt, liquid oil, and the lecithin into a 2 qt. Pyrex batter bowl, or something similar.  Blend briefly with a hand/immersion blender. Pour in the melted coconut oil or cocoa butter, guar or xanthan gum, and optional turmeric, if using. Immediately blend the mixture with the hand immersion blender until it is creamy and thick (work fast with the cocoa butter because it sets faster than the coconut oil version.)

Use a small silicone spatula to scoop the mixture into small shallow glass refrigerator containers with lids. Smooth the tops.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours before using. You can also freeze it, or freeze it until the mixture is firm and then refrigerate.
Clean your utensils and pitchers with hot soapy water.

Makes 24 Tablespoons

Nutrition Facts, made with cocoa butter (Serving size: 1/24 of a recipe/0.5 ounces/1 tablespoon.)
Calories 84, Total Fat 9.45g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 41.29mg, Sugar 0.13g, Protein 0.15g

Nutrition Facts, made with coconut oil  (Serving size: 1/32 of a recipe/0.5 ounces/1 tablespoon.)
Calories 91, Total Fat 10.3g, Saturated Fat 4.8g, cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 56g, Sugar o.2g Protein 0.13g

Enjoy!

I'm happy to report that, over the last few days, my rotten cold is just about over, my nerve pain (from shingles) discomfort has eased quite a bit (after 4 months), and I have had much more energy in the last few days. I have managed to get some much-needed household and outside jobs done (in the morning, when my energy is highest)-- yay!

That said, I was moved to make some muffins a few days ago, and I made a batch of the same today, as well.  I had stumbled upon a recipe I had written a few years ago that sounded  just perfect for what I had available in my pantry and refrigerator.  But, I tweaked it a bit to make it lower on the glycemic index. I was a bit worried that using low-glycemic whole grains in place of the original white pastry flour, but I needn't have done so. I used only 1/2 cup of wholewheat flour, and replaced the rest with my favorite low-glycemic flour mixture of 3/4 oat flour and 1/4 chickpea flour.  It worked perfectly!

In my original recipe, I made a note stating: "Batter will be kind of runny-- it will be fine." I was a bit nervous about this, but decided to proceed anyway. Again, I needn't have worried-- the muffins turned out just fine-- in fact, nice and moist, but not soggy at all.  I hope you'll give them a try!


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S NEW, MOIST LOW-FAT, LOW-GLYCEMIC LEMON, WALNUT, BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Makes 12 muffins

WET MIX:
1 1/2 cups creamy plant-based milk (I use soy)
1/2 cup sugar of choice (for sugar-free, use 1/2 cup sucralose instead)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 T. oil
grated zest of 1 lemon

DRY MIX:
3/4 cup oat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour (or white bean flour)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup oat bran
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Additional:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw them out!)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or nuts of your choice)
Optional for topping: brown sugar or coconut sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease 12 muffin cups (or use cupcake liners or my Homemade Palm-Oil-Free, Non-Hydrogenated “Cake Release” (Pan Coating or Professional Baker's Grease).

Blend the Wet Mix ingredients together in a blender or with a stick blender, or a food processor. Set aside Mix the Dry Mix ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add the blueberries and walnuts and stir to coat with the Dry Mix.

Stir in the blended Wet mix and stir well, making sure that there is no Dry Mix still at the bottom of the bowl. As noted in the intro above, the batter will be runny-- see pics below.

It's been ages since I blogged-- 2 months, actually.  I have been battling with nerve pain from a case of shingles for about 4 months now.  I haven't mentioned it because it's not exactly a pleasant subject. It's not that I can't function, but it does affect my productivity and energy level.  I hope to be back experimenting and writing before too long.

Until then, here I offer you two easy and delicious puddings that I developed for my old Vegan Feast newsletter.  Either one will make a pleasant ending to a meal, or even a tasty afternoon pick-me-up.

Printable version of both recipes

       BRYANNA'S CHAI CAPPUCCINO PUDDING

Serves 4

This spicy and unusual pudding would make a nice light dessert to follow a rich Indian meal, or any meal, really.

1/2 cup creamy nondairy milk

1/2 cup extra-firm silken tofu (can be Lite [reduced fat] variety)

1 cup strong chai tea (unsweetened)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 pinch salt

Your favorite vegan whipped topping

Garnish: cinnamon sugar and cinnamon sticks for garnish

Whip the creamy nondairy milk and tofu together to make a smooth cream, using a hand immersion blender, or blender. Add the chai, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Scrape the mixture into a microwavable 1 1/2 quart bowl or pitcher and microwave at full power for 1 minute. Whisk and cook 1 more minute, or until thickened and translucent. Whisk in the vanilla. 

  Alternatively, you can cook the pudding, stirring constantly, in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened and translucent. 

Pour the mixture into 4 small pudding dishes, tea cups, or cappuccino cups. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, smooth 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping over the top of each serving of pudding. Sprinkle each with a little cinnamon sugar and insert a small cinnamon stick into each dish. Serve cold.

Nutrition Facts (using Lite [reduced fat] extra-firm silken tofu)

Nutrition (per serving): 214.1 calories; 21% calories from fat; 5.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 150.6mg sodium; 225.1mg potassium; 37.1g carbohydrates; 1.4g fiber; 28.9g sugar; 5.7g protein.

**********

BRYANNA'S CREAMY CAPPUCCINO PUDDING

Serves 4

This is good enough for company-- a perfect light dessert after an Italian meal.

1/2 cup nondairy milk

1/2 cup extra-firm silken tofu (can be Lite [reduced fat] variety)

1 cup strong espresso coffee (unsweetened)
(The espresso should preferably be freshly-made, but it can be made from a good Italian instant espresso powder, such as Ferrara, Medaglio D'Oro, Café Bustelo or King Arthur.)

1/3 cup unbleached sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon liqueur (such as Amaretto, or any that you prefer)

Your favorite vegan whipped topping

Garnish: grated dark chocolate, or cinnamon, or cocoa powder for garnish

Whip the soymilk and tofu together to make a smooth cream, using a hand immersion blender, or blender. Add the coffee, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Scrape the mixture into a microwavable 1 1/2 quart bowl or pitcher and microwave at full power for 1 minute. Whisk and cook 1 more minute, or until thickened and translucent. Whisk in the vanilla, and optional liqueur, if using.

Alternatively, you can cook the pudding, stirring constantly, in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened and translucent.

Pour the mixture into 4 small pudding dishes, small glass coffee mugs, or cappuccino cups. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, smooth 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping over the top of each serving of pudding. Sprinkle each with a little grated dark chocolate, cinnamon, or cocoa powder. Serve cold.

Nutrition Facts (using Lite [reduced fat] extra-firm silken tofu)

Nutrition (per serving): 178.1 calories; 26% calories from fat; 5.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 155.8mg sodium; 261.4mg potassium; 26.9g carbohydrates; 1.4g fiber; 19.0g sugar; 5.8g protein.

Enjoy!

I devised this recipe quite a few years ago, but never got around to sharing it until now.  I grew up in San Francisco, in a district with plenty of Italian grocery stores and delicatessens, as well as a father who was half Italian. Salami and pepperoni on crusty San Francisco sourdough bread or rolls were favorites during those pre-vegetarian days. Unfortunately, even to this day, commercial vegan versions leave me unsatisfied.

Over a number of years, I worked on this recipe until I finally came up with one that satisfied my memory of real Italian salami.  It's not hard to make and the ingredients are not hard to obtain. I hope you like it as much as we do!


Printable Copy

BRYANNA'S SEITAN "SALAMI" (WITH "PEPPERONI" VARIATION) 

Truffles in the snow I always make some chocolate truffles for Brian on Valentine's Day, but I was a bit worried because we are, for all intents and purposes, snowed in, and I had no semisweet chocolate chipsleft in the house, which is what I usually use to make them. Our long, uphill, windey driveway is knee-deep in snow.  Our landlord's son tried to clear it with his machine and managed to clear the bottom area up to the first big curve, but his blade was too wide for the next part. So, no driving to the general store. Brian managed to trudge up the slippery hill to the mailboxes on foot and get our mail and precious bags of Books by Mail from the wonderful Vancouver Island Regional Library (which I worked for for 37 years), but we'll just have to make do with our (well-stocked) pantry, fridge and freezer for a few days. Fortunately, I did have 6 ounces of UN-sweetened baking chocolate in my pantry, and I thought this might actually be a good thing, since I eat a low-glycemic diet and use very little sugar.  So, I forged ahead and made a version of my usual truffle recipe with what I had available and what would suit my diet.  (To find an organic and fair trade unsweetened baking chocolate in your area, see this list. You're sure to find at least one brand from this long list in a local natural food store or supermarket.) I normally use some nut butter in my truffles, but I only had peanut butter in the house. But I didn't want the peanut taste in this particular batch, so I used the same amount of medium-firm tofu, well blended, instead. Instead of a liqueur, I used a little bit of Brian's Glenlivet Scotch, and, for more flavor, some of our friend Harold's delicious homemade orange marmalade. I used a small amount of maple syrup for the remaining sweetener, and decided to roll the truffle balls in ground walnuts (pecans would be excellent, as well).  They are delicious, and I hope you will try them and enjoy them as much as we did. Printable Recipe BRYANNA'S MAPLE SYRUP-SWEETENED SCOTCH AND ORANGE MARMALADE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES © 2019 Bryanna Clark Grogan. All Rights Reserved. Makes 17 truffles 6 ounces/170 g unsweetened baking chocolate (see link to list of fair trade, organic brands in text above, highlighted in yellow) 1/4 cup good-quality orange marmalade 1/4 cup real maple syrup (or dark agave syrup) 1/4 cup drained medium firm tofu OR extra-firm silken tofu 2 Tbsp. creamy non-dairy milk 2 Tbsp. good quality Scotch whiskey ground walnuts (or other nuts of choice) for coating Cut up the chocolate with a sharp knife into small pieces.  Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, OR (my favorite method) in a Pyrex pitcher or deep bowl in the microwave on High for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 2 minutes more. When the chocolate is fully melted, stir in the marmalade. In a blender or with a hand-held immersion blender, blend the maple syrup, tofu, non-dairy milk and Scotch until smooth. Stir into the chocolate mixture until full mixed. Refrigerate for several hours, or until the mixture is firm. Have ready the ground walnuts in a shallow bowl. (I ground them in a food processor in short bursts-- you don't want it too finely-ground.) Scoop out  spoonfuls of the chocolate mix and roll into about 1" balls.  Roll in the ground nuts to lightly coat. Place the balls on a plate with a little space between them.  Refrigerate for at least another hour. NOTE: I used to do my nutritional facts on Living Cookbook, but they just disappeared, with all my recipes on it (fortunately I keep copies in my  files online and off).  I have not found a satisfactory substitute yet, so I'm using https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076 for the time being. Happy Valentine's Day! ❤️❤️❤️

My husband requested French toast for Sunday breakfast last weekend (I was out of ideas and asked him what would be a nice change from our usual tofu scramble).  Thinking on it, I decided to go with French Toast and make a simple, very low-sugar blueberry sauce to top it off, since I have a big bag of the berries in the freezer.

Now, lately I've been making French toast with Follow Your Heart/Earth Island VeganEgg, and, before that was available, I used TheVegg, which is no longer available in Canada.  The VeganEgg is good, but expensive in my area, so I decided to go back to my old tried-and-true French toast batter made with simple, inexpensive products that I always have in my house, and I'm pretty sure that most vegans have available.

Well, we enjoyed this just as well as the recipes using the more expensive options, so I think I'll stick with this easy and inexpensive recipe.


Printable Version

REVIVING MY OLD INEXPENSIVE VEGAN FRENCH TOAST RECIPE, WITH 3 COOKING METHODS AND VERY LOW-SUGAR BLUEBERRY SAUCE
Serves 2-3  

Ingredients:
6 slices slightly stale bread of choice (I use sprouted wheat or multi-grain bread, such as Silver Hills brand.)
BATTER:
1 cup non-dairy milk, such as soy, nut or oat milk
6 T. more vegan milk plus 2 T. lemon juice (OR 1/2 cup orange juice)
1 T. whole golden flax seeds
2 tsp. powdered egg replacer (Ener-G Egg Replacer or Orgran No Egg™ Egg Replacer are easy to find.)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
1/4 tsp. salt OR kala namak (aka black salt) for a more eggy flavor and aroma
A few gratings of nutmeg
OPTIONAL: 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. grated orange or lemon zest
BLUEBERRY SAUCE:
3 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
1 1/2 T. vegan sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 T. water
OPTIONAL:
2-4 tsp. grated orange or lemon zest


METHOD:
Blend together the batter ingredients in a blender until smooth. Soak the bread slices in this mixture in a 9 x 13” shallow baking pan. Turn the slices over a few times to make sure they are evenly soaked.

Baking:
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place the soaked slices on a nonstick or lightly-oiled DARK cookie sheet (dark pans brown better). Spray the tops with a little bit of oil from a pump sprayer, too. Bake 10 minutes in the bottom third of the oven (use convection, if you have it), then turn and bake about 5 minutes more, or until golden brown and a bit crispy on the underside.



Using an Electric Skillet:
This is my new favorite method, as it is an energy saver.  I have a rectangular electric skillet that I found in a second-hand shop-- similar to this one:  



It works wonderfully for pancakes and French Toast, and many other dishes, though I bought it originally to simmer batches seitan cutlets, etc.. Set the temperature of your skillet to High or 400°F.  Spray the pan with oil and carefully add all 6 of the soaked pieces of bread to the skillet, if it's a large one-- otherwise you will have to cook them in two batches.  When the undersides are nicely browned, turn the bread slices over and cook until that side is also browned.  Serve immediately with the Blueberry sauce (below) or your favorite toppings, such as maple syrup.

Using a Skillet on the Stovetop: This is basically the same as the Electric Skillet Method above, except that you will need a couple of stovetop skillets (well-seasoned cast iron, if possible, or whatever is your favorite), and you will have to adjust the heat as you go, so that the toast doesn't get browned too fast, without cooking the interior properly.

WHILE THE FRENCH TOAST IS BAKING OR PAN-FRYING, make the simple Blueberry Sauce. Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly; OR microwave in a medium, deep microwave-safe bowl (deep in order to avoid splashes) for about 2 minutes, or until thickened and bubbly. Serve hot over the French Toast.

NOTE: I used to do my nutritional facts on Living Cookbook, but they just disappeared, with all my recipes on it (fortunately I keep copies in my  files online and off).  I have not found a satisfactory substitute yet, so I'm using https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076 for the time being.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories	387
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6.8g	9%
Saturated Fat 0.8g	4%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 564mg	25%
Total Carbohydrate 69.3g	25%
Dietary Fiber 13.2g	47%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 14.4g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 56mg	4%
Iron 3mg	18%
Potassium 448mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

Enjoy!