Triple Ginger Gingersnap Cookies

This is a recipe out of the VegNews Food Issue this month.  It's a small cookie with lots of flavor. It's a recipe by Beverly Lynn Bennett, a vegan chef and baker, and author of The complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking.  I might have to buy it.  The recipe was simple, easy, and tasty. 

Date sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, safflower oil, egg replacer, molasses, grated fresh ginger, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, fresh ground allspice, black pepper, a dash of salt, and some finely chopped crystallized ginger.

I have a pretty tense meeting tomorrow, thought this might sweeten the gang.

Garden Update - Autumn Harvest

The garden isn't ready to sleep for the winter yet.  There's been some warm fall weather and I'm getting a nice basket of ripe tomatoes every couple days.  Even the cloudy and rainy days have been warm and it seems to be dry right when we want to be out in the dirt.  The moon has kept us company a few times this past week. We have a little less daylight, but enough to get some weeding and harvesting done

Triple Chocolate Vegan Browines

Nana sent me a recipe to try recently.  Triple chocolate brownies made with black beans.  I was instantly intrigued by the use of black beans.  By itself it's a pretty healthy recipe, but I made a few changes, by eliminating the dairy and the animal fat, using date sugar and less of that.  They came out very fudgy. If I want a more cake like brownie, I think I would add a little more flour next time.  This is how I made them this time.

Triple Chocolate Surprise Brownies

Ingredients

    * 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
    * 2  tablespoons sunflower oil
    * 1/2 cup thawed and squeezed dry frozen spinach - I used frozen chard from my garden
    * 1/2 whole apple pureed in the blender
    *  3 TBL egg replacer with 6 TBL water and about half of a mashed banana
    *  1/2 cup date sugar
    * 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
    *  strong coffee, about 1/2 cup
    * 3 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
    * 2 tablespoons coconut oil
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * 1/2 cup brown rice flour - I think a heartier flour would have been better like whole wheat or spelt and a little more than 1/2 cup
    * 1/3 cup non dairy chocolate chips
    * 1/3 cup chopped pecans
    * 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Put black beans, olive oil, spinach, applesauce, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, cocoa, and espresso powder in a food processor; pulse for 1 minute or until smooth. Microwave bittersweet chocolate and butter in a glass bowl, stirring every 30 seconds or until smooth; cool for 5 minutes. Add chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt to processor; pulse to blend. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in flour and mini chocolate chips. Pour into an oiled 9- x 13-inch pan; top with chopped pecans. Bake for 25-30 minutes; cool for 15 minutes.

Thanks Nana, these are very good.

Vegan Chocolate Gelato

There is a recipe that a friend of mine told me to try. It is a "vegan" gelato recipe that is thickened with cornstarch instead of egg.  Her recipe called for two cups of soy creamer.  I used what I had on hand, coconut milk and non dairy milk.  I chilled it overnight and thought about just eating the gelato mixture as pudding, it has a very nice texture and flavor, much like a nice chocolate pudding.

12 oz can coconut milk, chilled
1/2 - 3/4 cup non dairy milk
1/2 cup date sugar
3 Tbs. cocoa powder
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 oz. dark chocolate,chopped
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine milks, date sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt in small saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate and vanilla until chocolate is melted.  Cover, and chill 4 hours, or overnight. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.

Thanks Morgaine, this is a good recipe, easy, few ingredients, and it tastes very good.  The flavor and texture reminds me of a fudgesicle. It's nutritious too.