In a Rut, No More!

Four final-examinations down, just one more to go (which will take place tomorrow, May 9th) - I cannot believe that the "official" end of the school-year has finally arrived (well, after tomorrow)!

While I do love my university, and did enjoy all of my courses during this past school-year, it will certainly be a breath of fresh air to just "kick back" this summer and not have to worry about studying for an examination, preparing for a presentation, or working on "busy-work" assignments; and of course I am looking forward to my return to the kitchen, since I almost feel like a stranger to baking and cooking these days.

While I have not "fully returned" to the kitchen yet, a miracle did occur this past Tuesday night, around 8:00 p.m. - I had the urge to bake! Refusing to deny this urge, I scurried around to find my recipe-binder, looked over my "baking to-do list," and quickly went to the kitchen, before my baking-urge passed.

I must admit that I felt a little nervous about starting to bake at this point, since I was still feeling stressed about my exam the next day (and the fact that I have not baked in so long made me feel like my baking skills would not be "up to par") - however, I convinced myself to just relax, have fun, and bake something extra scrumptious!

I did play it a little safe this time, when choosing a recipe from my "baking to-do" list, since I did not want to run the risk of completely ruining a batch of baked goods; however, it was a new recipe from a cookbook that I have not used in quite some time, so I deserve at least a little credit for trying something new ;0) So what was the treat that ended my baking rut?



I baked a batch of the Chocolate Chip Cookies from the infamous Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook (which was my very first vegan cookbook - my mom bought it for me when I decided to make the switch from vegetarianism to veganism, back in March 2007). Although the cookies are small (about the size of a chocolate truffle), each bite packs in "so much flavor, that they take a long time to eat! you can really savor them!" (as quoted by my grandfather). My parents are quite addicted to these little cookies, loving their "soft, chewy texture, and the melted chocolate chips"; and I too am quite smitten with the "fresh out of the oven even though I baked them two days ago" texture (soft, gooey, and chewy, which is how all cookies should be, in my opinion).



Since the recipe makes about 3-dozen cookies (yes, that is a lot of cookies, haha), I made sure to pack some in a to-go container, to share with friends. These cookies really made for a delightful, flavorful study-break snack, for sure.

With just one examination standing between me and my summer-freedom, I cannot help but feel anxious and excited (and nervous, since my last examination will undoubtedly be the most difficult of them all) - especially since my baking rut is over! It truly is about time for VeggieGirl to get back into the kitchen, for some more baking adventures :0)

Smooth Sailing

The grueling final-examination period begins tomorrow at my university, and I honestly cannot wait until it is all over with, on Friday afternoon. Hopefully all of the studying that I have been doing will pay off (**fingers crossed**), and that I am able to maintain my sanity by the end of the week ;0)

Although I can feel that I am near the end of my baking rut (since I have been thinking a lot about certain treats to bake soon), I am afraid that, for at least the next few days, I must continue to just enjoy the vegan baked goods from Whole Foods (in order to avoid stressing myself out even more, with baking projects). However, there is one other type of treat that I can enjoy as well - one that requires no oven, and yet is still satisfying and delicious: Smoothies.

I drink smoothies on a daily basis, and make them for my family everyday as well - they are so quick and easy to make (especially with a top-quality BlendTec blender, which I highly recommend purchasing - it is definitely a great investment!), that it would be a shame not to enjoy them so often.

Although I tend to "randomly concoct" smoothie combinations, depending on which fruits I have on-hand/what is in season, there are a few smoothie combinations that are my "staples" - below, you will find my top 2 favorite smoothie combinations (for there are far too many to post - please forgive me!):

Do you often find yourself feeling hungry after drinking a smoothie? Well then the following smoothie (which I like to call VeggieGirl’s Satiating Smoothie Deluxe) is the one for you (see below for recipe)! Since this smoothie keeps me full for 5 hours, I like to drink it as a breakfast-(or lunch)-on-the-go, a post-workout snack, or even just as a delectable, filling treat.

The first photograph features this smoothie made with blackberries, while the second photograph features the smoothie when made with raspberries - any way you choose to enjoy it, it will still turn out to be a refreshing, super-thick (and even gorgeous) beverage!







VeggieGirl’s Satiating Smoothie Deluxe

**(makes one very large serving)**


- 1 cup hempmilk

- 1 banana (fresh, not frozen)

- 1 cup fresh blackberries or raspberries

- 2-3 tablespoons nut-butter (I use either hazelnut-butter, almond-butter, or cashew-butter)


Blend all ingredients until smooth (I blend it twice, in order to thoroughly grind the blackberry/raspberry seeds). Enjoy!



My other favorite smoothie combination features my own twist on the very popular peanut-butter & banana combination (which is also the "notorious favorite" sandwich-combination of the late Elvis Presley). Incorporating these elements, I refer to this thick, rich smoothie as The Vegan Elvis; and it usually keeps me full for about 3 hours (not the full 5 hours, since it is less fibrous and smaller than the previous smoothie I mentioned).




The Vegan Elvis

**(makes one very large serving)**


- 1 cup hempmilk

- 1 banana (fresh, not frozen)

- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

- 2-3 tablespoons nut-butter (I use either hazelnut-butter, almond-butter, or cashew-butter)


Blend all ingredients until smooth (I usually just blend it once) - simple as that. Enjoy!


While I certainly do have more favorite smoothie combinations (as do my family members), I will perhaps save those for another post :0)

It is a bit daunting, thinking about all of the final-examinations that I will be taking during this upcoming week. However, it is very reassuring to know that once Friday afternoon arrives, and I turn in my last final-examination, it will all be "smooth sailing" from here (and time to relax).

In a Baking Rut?

I remember back in October 2007, when I wrote this particular post, thinking to myself, "This 'status' will remain true forever - I will always be a baking-addict." However, I am afraid that this may not be the case anymore (at least, for the time being)...

Between the dramatic increase in schoolwork, examinations, and presentations at school (much more work this semester, than there was last semester), other commitments/activities, and gorgeous spring weather (which finally has decided to stay - hopefully winter is officially over here!), I have not had nearly as much time as I used to/expected to have, to bake, especially with the ideal weather conditions (sorry, but the last thing that I have desired to do lately is to stay inside, and stand in front of a hot oven).

So (dare I say it), I am afraid that I am in a bit of a baking rut - at least until final examinations week is over (which will be after next week - hooray!), and/or there is a cold, rainy day to keep me indoors. But just because I am the antithesis of a "baking addict" right now, does not mean that my family and I have to forgo enjoying freshly-baked vegan treats - this is where "the next best thing" comes into play: the bakery section at my local Whole Foods Market.

Catering to a number of different customers who may have food allergies and/or other dietary restrictions, Whole Foods is a great resource for finding products/meals that satisfy your appetite, while still nourishing you with wholesome (and pronounceable!) ingredients. It is wonderful to see that my local Whole Foods has started baking a wide variety of vegan treats (since they were lacking vegan treats there, for a while - they were only baking gluten-free treats for the "special section," all of which contained eggs). So, after a recent food-shopping trip, I made sure to stock up on some goodies for my family and me to share (especially since everything had just emerged from the ovens, when I went to purchase the baked goods - talk about good timing!).

With so many different vegan baked goods to choose from, the decision on what to purchase was far from being simple - so which treats did I end up bringing home?



First up, we have a (or perhaps, the) quintessential cookie variety: a Chocolate Chip Cookie. With a soft, chewy texture, velvety-smooth chocolate chips, and a large size (that cookie is anything but petite!), it is quite difficult not to love this cookie. My dad says that it tasted "just like the real thing" (meaning, a non-vegan cookie, haha).



Typically thought of as an "afternoon tea treat," scones can actually be enjoyed any time of the day (and not just with tea). Pictured above is an Oatmeal-Date Scone, which is packed with chewy dates, crunchy pecans, and a slightly-crispy, dense texture. This is definitely a treat worth savoring!



Regardless of whether or not I am in a baking rut, my dad always requests an Orange-Cranberry Muffin from the specialty baked goods section at Whole Foods, when I go food-shopping. This muffin is packed with juicy, plump cranberries, a refreshing orange taste, and a fluffy texture; and totally satisfies my dad's sweet tooth :0)



While my dad is a fan of the orange-cranberry muffin variety, my mom is partial to Whole Foods' Blueberry Muffin. Described as a tasting like a "fresh blueberry pie; only portable!", this muffin is practically oozing with fresh blueberries, and a delicate sweetness that delights (and does not overwhelm) the taste buds.



Last but not least, we have a vegan-version of the classic Coffee Cake dessert. I kept the pastry in its wrapping, so that you could see how carefully packaged and labeled each item is that is sold in the specialty baked goods section at Whole Foods. Although the "vegan" label is an alarmingly-bright shade of orange (it might as well have some flashing lights on it too), I do appreciate that they clearly mark the vegan baked goods (and other foods that they sell/prepare, as well). As with the chocolate chip cookie, the coffee cake tastes (and especially smells) "just like the real thing," with its distinct cinnamon flavor, "cake-like" texture, and crumb-topping.

So, despite not actually producing very many sweets from my own kitchen right now, it is safe to say that my family and I are still graced with a well-stocked "dessert case," thanks to Whole Foods. Did I ever think that I would be in a baking rut? Certainly not - but sometimes, the unexpected can happen; and when it comes to baking, I am very fortunate to have Whole Foods right near by, to help provide scrumptious, freshly-baked vegan treats for my family and me.

Putting a Dent in my Baking To-Do List

In order to alleviate (and potentially prevent) an excess amount of stress, I like to make "to-do" lists for my daily activities, assignments, errands, appointments - and even for my cooking/baking adventures. With the final-examination period just one week away, my schoolwork load has increased (yet again), which has left little time (or desire, unfortunately) to bake a lot. However, I made it a priority this morning to look over my baking "to-do" list, and finally try to make a dent in it!

As I glanced over my list of baking projects that still need to be tried/accomplished, I decided to go with the recipe that I was going to try last weekend, but did not have the time to do so:



I chose to bake a batch of Cinnamon Swirl Muffins (which were recently posted about, on the "Fatfree Vegan Kitchen" blog).

Packed with cinnamon, a touch of nutmeg, and generously sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar (which can be made by combining ground cinnamon and my "unrefined-sugar-of-choice," Sucanat), these muffins taste just like "traditional" cinnamon rolls (minus the gooey, sticky icing/glaze). They also have a texture that is quite similar to an angel-food cake or sponge-cake - very light and fluffy! They truly are a perfect snack, for any time (or meal) of the day.

The only change that I made to the recipe was replacing the soymilk and the orange juice with hempmilk (as always); and yet the muffins still turned out absolutely sensational! So glad that I found time this morning to try this muffin recipe, since it enabled me to finally put a dent in my baking "to-do" list.

In addition to enjoying these fresh-baked muffins, I have been thoroughly enjoying the blossoming flowers trees, located right outside of my house - just in time for spring!









I can now officially check "enjoy the beauty of spring" off of another one of my "to-do" lists :0)

Intimidated, No More!

Although I do feel that my baking skills are continuing to improve, as I try more (and new) recipes and baking techniques, I have to admit that I tend to gravitate towards recipes that I know are at my "baking-comfort level." In order to avoid major kitchen disasters and failures, I usually shy away from the "more intricate" recipes (i.e. recipes with instructions that are longer than a few lines, or contain a plethora of ingredients) - especially nowadays, while school is in session (which leaves far too little time for an abundance of new baking adventures).

As comfortable as I have felt with just sticking to recipes that I knew would yield successful batches of treats, I recently decided that I need to step outside of my "baking comfort zone," and challenge myself! After all, how can I continue to develop new and improved baking skills, if I just keep baking "easy" desserts?

The perfect opportunity to improve my baking skills arrived unexpectedly, about a month ago, when Hannah (from the impeccable "Bittersweet" blog) posted about a unique and rather intriguing cookie: Hamantashen.




It isn't very often that you see a cookie that is meant to be triangular-shaped and oozing with jam; so when I stumbled upon this cookie-recipe I knew that I just had to try it!! After reading through the long list of instructions, however, I ended up avoiding this recipe for a month - I simply did not have enough courage to try the recipe yet! I am not quite sure what came over me, but this past weekend I decided to just face my "baking fears" and attempt the recipe. As you can see in the photograph above, this particular baking adventure went quite well, and yielded absolutely delectable results - the recipe and preparation-step were a bit challenging, but I was able to improve my skills in the kitchen, once again. Me? Intimidated by a "more involved" recipe? Not anymore! :0)

On a completely different note, I cannot properly end today's post without wishing everyone a Happy Earth Day! It is truly wonderful to see so much coverage in the news these days, about "going green"; and there are a lot of companies working to become "greener" as well - for instance, today officially marks the day that Whole Foods banishes plastic bags (now only offering paper bags; or, even better, accepting your reusable grocery bags/totes, and giving you money back when you bring them in!). Let us all try to be a little "greener," and help our planet - as cliché as it may sound, it is true that every little step and action counts!

Another Pantry Clean-Out

Although I always do a "pantry clean-out" every few months (usually, whenever there are ingredients that need to be used up, which I have posted about before), there is something about the arrival of spring (which finally decided to occur, where I live - it is about time!) that makes me want to start fresh - especially with the ingredients that are lingering in my pantry!

As I searched through my pantry-shelves a few days ago, for ingredients that needed to be used up, I stumbled upon quite an eclectic mix of foods: vegan chocolate chips, vegan graham crackers, brown-rice crisp cereal, raw cashew butter, vegan white chocolate chips, and fresh, medjool dates; and of course, there were two overripe bananas on the kitchen counter that were just begging to be used up very soon. So, with all of these ingredients in hand, I set out to make two new treats, in hopes of properly using them all up (so that I could have more room in my pantry).

The first treat that I decided to make was definitely an experiment - I had no idea as to whether or not the ingredients that I chose to incorporate would complement each other well. But I figured that the only way to find out, would be to just take a chance, and test out the flavor-combination! So, what did I end up "boldly" creating?



I decided to create Banana-Date-Graham-Cracker Muffins! Described by my family as "moist and extremely flavorful," each muffin is packed with graham cracker segments, fresh banana chunks, and large, plump dates - my dad was particularly elated to have found an entire date, in one of his muffins (I guess I did not chop up the dates very well, haha). Not only did I accomplish my goal of using up the remaining graham crackers, dates, and bananas, but I successfully created a new, enticing muffin-variety for my family and me to enjoy - I am glad that I experimented with this flavor-combination, after all! :0)

Since I had the brown-rice crisp cereal on-hand, it was fairly obvious that I should try to make some rice-crispie treats; and I knew just the recipe to refer to, to make this classic snack!



Using Celine's fabulous Chocolate-Peanut-Butter Rice Treats recipe, as a guideline, I created Chocolate-Cashew-Butter Rice Treats. My particular batch of rice treats contained brown-rice crisp cereal, vegan white chocolate chips, "regular" vegan chocolate chips, and raw cashew butter (in addition to all of the other necessary ingredients for the recipe, as well). These bars were extremely gooey, chewy, and dense - in other words, absolutely perfect and decadent!

While cleaning out my pantry is something that I actually like to do, it can get somewhat stressful, when I am not exactly sure how to use up the leftover ingredients (since I do not want to waste them - especially the hard-to-find, mail-ordered ingredients!). With the art of baking, however, I am able to incorporate my pantry-items with ease, and create new goodies for my family and me to share. I am now actually looking forward to my next pantry clean-out! :0)

New Product + New Recipe = New Favorite

Despite the fact that I am still quite overwhelmed with schoolwork, presentations, and exams (just one more month of school left though! I must survive! haha), I managed to have a few moments of free-time towards the end of last week - so what did I do?? I did something that I used to have time to do almost everyday, but have not really done in a while: I baked!! :0)

To make the most of this particular baking-adventure (since, these days, I am never sure when I will get a chance to bake), I decided to try a completely new recipe - one that I have been anxious to try for quite some time now: The Strawberry Love Muffins from My Sweet Vegan.



Packed with juicy, ripe strawberries, and yielding a super-soft, "fluffy" texture, these muffins are anything but ordinary - they are so full of flavor and body, and release such a tantalizing aroma! Plus, they are a perfect way to "spread the love," among family and friends, since everyone appreciates freshly-baked treats :0)

Although this recipe is fabulous "as is," I wanted to make the muffins extra special. So, in addition to trying a new recipe, I took this as a fun opportunity to try a new product, as well:



As I was strolling through Whole Foods on a recent shopping-trip, my eyes were immediately drawn to the bright-red "New Product!" sign, in the baking/condiment isle. Right below the sign were jars and jars of 100% Organic Raw Vegan Chocolate Spread, made by Love Street Living Foods.

I could hardly believe what I was seeing! Not only was this chocolate spread completely vegan and organic, but it was raw, as well!! And as I mentioned recently (in my part IV blog-post, of my NYC trip), I am now all for raw chocolate/cacao (in addition to my beloved carob, of course)! And the ingredients list is fabulous: organic raw agave nectar, organic raw cacao, organic raw whole vanilla bean, and original Himalayan Crystal Salt. That's it! So, I knew that I just had to purchase this new product, to see if it really was as good as it sounded. So how exactly did I decide to test out the chocolate spread?



Well, I decided to use the chocolate spread as a filling, for the Strawberry Love Muffins! True, this defeats the purpose of a raw spread; but hey, it was worth using it as a baking ingredient, for sure.

Biting into the center of each muffin (or tearing each muffin in half) caused an eruption of velvety smooth, sinfully rich (yet pure!) chocolate "lava," and complemented the strawberries quite beautifully (and deliciously). Using the chocolate spread as a filling, rather than as a frosting (which was my original plan), definitely worked out better - especially since I actually succeeded this time, in creating a "filled-muffin" (unlike what happened when I tried to make Jelly-Donut Cupcakes, with a filling).

Although I took a chance with trying both a new recipe and a new product, in one baking adventure (especially when my baking adventures are rare these days, due to lack of time), I must say that the results were quite pleasing (and my family wholeheartedly agrees) - and as a result, the Strawberry Love Muffins (and the chocolate spread) have become new favorites in my household.

I have a few more treats that I am already planning on making, later this week; and then after I make those (and share the results with all of you, of course), I will finally be able to fulfill my role as a recipe-tester for Lindsay (from the Happy Herbivore blog). I am quite elated and fortunate to have so many baking projects and opportunities ahead of me - I am looking forward to each and every one of them :0)