Monthly Archives: February 2010

Garam Masala Cookies

garam masala cookies

A little unconventional maybe– but pretty delicious for a last minute pantry raid.  What I like best about these cookies is their texture– they are thin and chewy and crispy all at once.  The flavor is, well, flavorful!

Since Garam Masala varies— I cannot guarantee that your cookies will taste just like my photo. :)  Mine was a blend of coriander, cardamom, black cumin, cinnamon, celery, black pepper, allspice, cloves and anise.  Each one of those spices had a special place in these cookies.  A touch of cocoa really tops them off.  Spicy, sweet and kind of chocolatey- could you really ask for anything more?

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Blackberry Cobbler Muffins

blackberry cobbler muffins

When I woke up this morning, it was beautiful and sunny and the birds were singing. Yay!

There was still two feet of snow on the ground… but the sun gave me a much needed  burst of energy.   So, rather than the usual bowl of cereal my son is honored with in the morning, I made him these muffins.  He was thrilled to have anything other than cereal and ate 4 of them!  I’m not super good in the kitchen before I have had a ton of coffee… but these turned out really well.

One tip- use silicon muffin pans, grease and flour your pan, or use some really good muffin liners.  I used craptastic paper liners this morning and they sorta stuck- just a little bit. :(

Given that it was so early… I’m lucky to have remembered to line the cups at all.  The muffins were delicious, though.  They were a tad tangy and slightly sweet.  And full of crumble topping!  Oh, how I love crumble topping. <3

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Wilted Kale and Mustard Greens Salad and “The Blissful Chef” Q&A

wilted kale and mustard greens salad

I think the vegan community is amazing- everyone involved is making a huge impact in their own special way. I love how vegans ultimately find common ground by simply refusing to participate in the exploitation of non-human animals.  As most of us know, the choice to go vegan is no “trend”…  it is holding on strong, and will only continue to grow.  Which is awesome!

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Super Seductive Smoothie

Super Sexy Smoothie

I just couldn’t resist the kitschy-ness of including a post about aphrodisiac foods right before Valentines Day.  So, I did some research googling, and found some pretty interesting “facts” about foods from various unreliable sources on the internet. :)

I thought it would be fun to include a simple list of foods that will spice up your life– that, when blended together, make a mighty tasty smoothie.  Whether you are single or attached (or just don’t give a damn)…this smoothie will provide you with a good dose of spunk. <3

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Chocolate Cashew Ice Cream Pie

triple layered frozen pie

Okay, this pie does not actually contain ice cream.  But, when the creamy mousse and cashew cream layers are frozen, they sure could pass for ice cream.  It is rich with flavor and kind of  indulgent as far as ingredients go.  But, Valentine’s day is coming up, right?  So why not splurge on yourself… or a loved one.  This dreamy treat  is full of chocolate, dates, almond flour, cashews… and there’s some tofu in there too.

The freezing process is a little time consuming, but the prep couldn’t be easier.  It mainly involves using a just food processor and a spatula.  The three layers frozen together sort of  resemble an “ice-cream cake” in taste and texture.  Yet, unlike a certain non-vegan name brand ice cream cake that I used to go crazy over- this one’s full of good stuff.   So,  refusing a second slice seems almost silly. :)

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Vegan Doggy Biscuits

Vegan gluten free dog biscuits

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’ve got love on my mind. Puppy love.

As much as I bake, I often neglect to bake treats especially for my furry friend (even though he always gets some of my human treats).  But our dog friends deserve their very own batch of cookies just as much as anyone else.  I created these for my pal, Giotto, who has a particular love for peanut butter and carrots.  He was pacing in front of the oven the entire time they were baking… and I have to admit, they smelled pretty darn good to all of us humans in the house too.

Whoever ends up eating them, I think tails will most certainly be wagging.

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Chocolate Filled Vanilla Cupcakes

gluten free vegan cupcake

While not super fancy, these cupcakes are sure to please the kids and adults in your life.

The recipe provides an excellent, almost “no fail” type of cake, while the frosting is over-the-top chocolatey.  I think it’s the best chocolate frosting I have made so far, and it goes really well with this simple white cake.  Honestly, the cake itself is just a tiny vehicle for all of that awesome frosting.

Instead of experimenting with my own GF flour mixture on these, I decided to use up the last of my GF Namaste Perfect Flour Blend.  I just subbed the same amount where regular “all purpose” flour would go.  This was my favorite generic cake recipe before going gluten free.  Happily, it turned out really well using the Namaste flour mix.

Also, feel free to just skip the whole cake part and get right to the frosting.  The cake is pretty darn good- but the frosting is where it’s at!

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