Vegan Week - Day 2

Ramen with carrots, mushrooms, pea pods, broccoli, red and green onions, some chile garlic sauce, and toasted peanuts and sesame seeds.

Well, another day as a vegan!

I still don't like the almond milk coffee creamer, though it was a bit more tolerable this morning. So, while I was at the grocery store to get supplies for tomorrow's photo shoot (for next Tuesday's lead story on the Food page), I looked for coconut milk creamer but couldn't find it; I settled for a soy milk creamer, which I don't have a lot of hope for. But it's not good to start the day with bad coffee ... bleah! This is a work in progress ... or an opportunity for an entrepreneur.

Applesauce muffins and a banana.

For breakfast, I had a banana and an applesauce muffin. Craig had tried one of the muffins yesterday, before leaving, and even said he liked it ... wow! Instead of an egg for protein and structure, I used 1/4 cup silken tofu. The muffins baked up beautifully ... :)

Now, tofu, to my mind, is not food. I've tried marinating it, searing it, chopping it, tasting it in various Asian restaurants, and virtually every other means of dealing with it. And you know what it tastes like? Vomit. Truly. No matter what, unless I simply bury it under chocolate or peanut butter or cinnamon or some other strong flavor. But tofu works perfectly as an egg replacement in baked goods - let's celebrate that, and not employ it for any of its lesser uses. (Your amusement du jour: Craig actually likes tofu! What is it with his taste buds?!?!?)

Fennel Slaw and French fries.

Like yesterday, lunch included a salad: Fennel Slaw, which is one of my very favorites. Lots of crispness and crunchiness, with just a hint of that famous (infamous?) licorice/anise flavor. Because I had prep work to do for tomorrow's photos, I didn't feel like chopping or stirring or sautéing or anything that required much involvement on my part. So I just made a very simple accompaniment for the slaw: a handful of extra-crispy french fries, sprinkled with a touch of salt and an equal touch of Old Bay seasoning.

(Aside: I want some credit for doing a non-vegan photo shoot tomorrow! I could've given y'all tofu, wheatgrass, and other such fare, rather than the omnivore fest that will be of greater interest. As Spock says, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one." Even if the one is the one who has to prepare the food.)

Then, after eating the fennel and cabbage and onions, I did my breath - and, thus, the pussycats - a favor and ate a few of the generic mint faux-reos which may be my new favorite junk food. (They're double-stuffed, which is gross and excessive in traditional Oreos, but is perfect for the ones with the minty filling!)

On a chilly, dreary, rainy, snowy, icy "March comes in like a lion" evening, a nice hot dinner was the perfect comfort. Ramen. A huge bowl of it, loaded with carrots, mushrooms, pea pods, broccoli, red and green onions, some chile garlic sauce, and toasted peanuts and sesame seeds.

And there will likely be more faux-reos in my future, this evening ... :)


Applesauce Muffins

1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/8 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together applesauce, tofu, and almond milk until smooth. Add flours, salt, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, flax seed, and walnuts. Stir until combined.

Divide batter among the lined muffin cups. Stir together sugar and remaining 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over muffins, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until muffins feel set when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Yield: 12 muffins
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Fennel Slaw

1 small fennel bulb
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 small red onion, halved, sliced thin
1 teaspoon sugar
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
Pinch of kosher salt
Generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Trim stalks, fronds, and root end from the fennel. Slice remaining bulb in half, then slice thin; place into a large mixing bowl along with the cabbage and onion.

Combine sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper; pour over vegetables and mix. Let rest for 30 minutes or, preferably, several hours for the flavors to blend.

Yield: 8 servings
Source: Mary Bilyeu


Vegetable and Peanut Ramen

1 teaspoon sesame oil
Few mushrooms, sliced
Few pea pods
1 thin slice red onion, halved
Few broccoli florets
1 small carrot, peeled, sliced thin
1 small stalk of celery, sliced thin
1 large scallion, root end trimmed, sliced thin
Vegetable broth
2 tablespoons peanut sauce
1/2 teaspoon chile garlic sauce
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 package ramen noodles, seasoning packet discarded
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Handful of chopped peanuts, toasted

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and sauté briefly. Add pea pods, red onion, broccoli, carrot, celery, and white part of scallion; cook for 1 minute. Pour in broth to cover vegetables by 1 inch. Stir in sauces and add noodles. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes, until noodles are just done.

Pour everything into a deep bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds, peanuts, and green parts of the scallion.

Yield: 1 generous serving.
Source: Mary Bilyeu.

Chocolate Chip Macaroon Muffins

On National Chocolate Chip Day, the obvious choice would have been to make chocolate chip cookies.  Not that there's anything wrong with them!  But ....

I debated whether to celebrate with something exotic, say some spicy chocolate-chili concoction ... nah.  I wanted the rich simplicity of the chocolate chips to shine through.

And so I baked a variation on the cookies, and also added an extra sweet touch with crumbled coconut macaroons (a fabulous marketing gift from the Bender Hammerling Group, which handles public relations and marketing for several food producers, including Manischewitz).  As they say, it's the little things.  The topping takes these muffins beyond everyday breakfast food and they become a special treat.

If you'd like to celebrate today's festivities with other options, here are some more suggestions that showcase the glory of chocolate chips:

Krispy Kreme Chocolate Chip Cookies

Butterscotch Pretzel Brownies

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Scones

Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hillary Clinton's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ricotta Cheese Pudding

Ginger Shortbread Cookies


Chocolate Chip Macaroon Muffins

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
6 Manischewitz coconut macaroons, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.  Stir in egg and yogurt.  Stir in half-and-half and salt, then mix in flour and the baking powder.  Stir in chips, then divide batter among the lined muffin cups.  Sprinkle the crumbled macaroons over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Afternoon Delight Cafe

I don't often go out to lunch on a weekday.  So it was a great luxury to meet my friend Nancy recently at Afternoon Delight, when I took a few hours off for an abbreviated "girls' day out" to eat and then meander through a second-hand store hoping that something might call to us (but unfortunately hearing not even a whisper).  Good food and friendship all in one afternoon!

Today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature is one I've meant to go back to for some time, and it was Nancy's first visit to the cafe ... so many places to eat, so little time.  Afternoon Delight is an Ann Arbor institution serving great breakfasts and lunches, with an emphasis on fresh, healthy dishes and generous portions.

For a mere $3.25 - well within our mandatory budget of $5 per person or less - I ordered a cup of excellent beef chili.  (A bowl of the daily house-made soup offerings would have cost $4.25, still a good deal.)  I was offered a slice of bread or crackers to go with this, and the latter simply struck my fancy at that time for crumbling over the top.  The chili was thick and slightly spicy, a perfect antidote to the blustery weather outside that day.

I also ordered The Berry Patch, pictured above, which is frozen yogurt topped with an abundance of perfect, fresh fruits.  It costs only $4.50, and is a very large serving.  I was given a choice of vanilla or raspberry yogurts or - best of all - a swirl of both which, needless to say, I picked.  This was so rich and creamy, with gorgeous, sweet berries!  It was a great dessert, but would also make a wonderful breakfast or snack.

Nancy chose the small salad bar - one trip - which just barely exceeded our Frugal Floozie Friday budget at $5.49.  This gives you a choice of an abundance of beautiful greens, vegetables, dressings and prepared salads.

As we went through the cafeteria-style line to order and pay for our food, we noted the enormous brownies ($2.75) and muffins ($2.50).  There are other desserts, too - such as pies, cookies, and sundaes - ranging in price from $1.95-$4.25.  An assortment of coffee drinks is available for less than $3 each, and many breakfast options are offered from $1.50-4.95.  Afternoon Delight also serves a wide variety of sandwiches, which can be split to stay within the $5 budget per person.

Whether you're looking for a hearty breakfast, a light lunch or a quick snack, Afternoon Delight has something to tempt you ... and for not very much money!

Afternoon Delight Cafe
251 East Liberty 
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 
(734) 665-7513 
Monday - Saturday: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.



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Strawberry Jam Muffins

Sometimes I go on baking sprees, and I seem to be in the midst of one right now.  Recently, I've written about Peach Pudding Cake with Brown Sugar Sauce and about an Orange-Glazed Pumpkin Loaf Cake.  Today's offering is a simple muffin, but with the added brightness - both for flavor and color - of strawberry jam.

The inspiration for the muffins came from a cute poem found in a book that my very dear friend Marilyn gave me for my birthday - A Taste of Rhyme by Ann Arbor's own Marvin Brandwin:

Muffins

Coffee and a muffin are a perfect combination
Early in the morning or at any other time of day.
Although pastry, cake, and pie all rate a commendation
It's the muffins that excel in the art of taste creation,
And are the favored gems in every bakery display.
Choices to explore are walnut, raisin, bran, and cherry.
Each can be relied on to deliver eating pleasure.
But strawberry, blueberry, and other kinds of berry
Bring muffins to the height of satisfaction culinary.
Combine them with coffee to discover berried treasure.

Mr. Brandwin speaks truth - coffee and a muffin is such a simple joy!


Strawberry Jam Muffins

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners

In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar; stir in egg.  Stir in flours, salt and cinnamon.  Stir in yogurt.

Divide 2/3 of the batter among the lined muffins cups.  Divide the jam among the muffins, keeping it to the center.   (If too much jam gets to the edge, the muffins stick to the liner and are difficult to remove.  The jam also then has a tendency to leak over the edge of the muffin, causing it to stick to the tin as well.  Trust me on this.)  Top with the remaining batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let the muffins cool before removing them from the tin.

Makes 12 muffins.

Cranberry Bran Muffins with Orange Marmalade Butter

Sunday mornings, in my opinion, are an ideal time to bake.

And usually I find I want to bake something breakfast-y, since I actually have the luxury of time to loiter in my jammies without having to rush anywhere. I can sip a second cup of coffee, and then enjoy a warm, freshly baked treat along with it.

These muffins are full of nutritious whole grains, but don't present themselves as being terribly virtuous. Moist and delicious, they are exceptional at any time of day but ideal for a lazy weekend morning.

The sweet-tartness of the marmalade butter offers brightness in both color and flavor ... a perfect complement to a weekend treat.

Cranberry Bran Muffins with Orange Marmalade Butter

Muffins:

1 cup bran flakes
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with 8 paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine the bran flakes and buttermilk; let soak for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and brown sugar. Combine the honey, oil and eggs; stir into the dry ingredients. Stir in the cranberries.

Divide the batter among the paper liners, and bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a rack.

Butter:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Combine the butter and the marmalade. Serve along with the muffins.

Makes 8 muffins and 1/4 cup butter.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Blueberry muffins are a universal favorite! Who wouldn't want to celebrate them today, on National Blueberry Muffin Day?

Not only do these muffins showcase one of Michigan's finest fruits, but they're sweet and delicious and perfect at any time of day. Breakfast? A great way to start the morning! Lunch? They can certainly make a fabulous dessert. Tea time? Evening or midnight snack? Absolutely ideal!

This recipe makes a very tender muffin, loaded with gorgeous blueberries. And the cinnamon streusel makes a lovely, fragrant topping so that the muffins aren't quite so plain.

Just as National Strawberry Shortcake Day didn't need my promotional assistance, National Blueberry Muffin Day can hold its own, too, I think. So I'll stop blathering now, and just let you enjoy your muffin in peace ....

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Muffins:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
1-1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup blueberries

Streusel:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup quick-cook oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Make the muffins: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar; stir in egg. Mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the cream, then gently mix in the blueberries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups.

Make the streusel: Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. Stir in the butter. Divide the mixture among the muffins by placing a blob of it on top of each.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the muffins are golden and a tester comes out clean. Let the muffins cool, as they're a bit fragile and need to set before being removed from the tin.

Makes 12 muffins.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Muffins

Okay, I've said several magic words in that title, haven't I??? Chocolate ... peanut butter ... crunch ... muffins. Important tastes, textures, and treats!

I was in the mood to christen my new oven, and what better way than baking with chocolate?

So I took the basic recipe for the Chocolate Almond Loaf Breads I'd made at Christmas, and added a bit of a twist. I didn't have any amaretti to crumble on top for some crunch; so I took the last 2 peanut butter wafer cookies I had in my cupboard -- those addictive things that are crisp and coated in chocolate, with the layers of peanut butter filling -- and crushed them instead.

And let me tell you, it was a fine substitution! Truly, these were exceptional -- moist and tender, with the contrasting crispness of the cookie crumbs on top. The flavor was extraordinary -- rich and luscious. I tried the first one while it was still warm, so the chocolate chips were even melted ... sigh.

Bake these, and fall in love with them ... :)



Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Muffins

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup 2% milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1-3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 chocolate-covered peanut butter wafer cookies, crushed

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter; add eggs and mix well.

Combine milk and vinegar; pour into batter and combine well.

Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and divide batter among the muffin cups.

Sprinkle the wafer cookie crumbs over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a tester inserted into the muffins comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

Oatmeal Raisin ... Nope -- Not Cookies!

On Sunday morning, I was in the mood to bake. This is a fairly frequent occurrence on Sunday mornings, while I'm still in my jammies and waiting for my coffee to brew. And now that the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are over, I didn't even have to go in to work ... whew!

Of course, tonight begins yet another major Jewish holiday: Sukkot [sooh-KOTE], a harvest and pilgrimage festival. The tradition is to build a sukkah [SOO-kuh], a temporary structure with 3 sides and a roof made of natural materials, which is reminiscent of the flimsy housing the Israelites relied upon during their wandering in the desert. Sukkot (not just the name of the holiday, but also the plural of "sukkah") are decorated, and it is customary to spend as much time as possible -- particularly eating meals -- in them during the course of the 8-day holiday.



And so, how does this all relate??? On Sunday morning I baked Oatmeal Raisin Muffins, which would be perfect treats to enjoy in the sukkah -- as a light breakfast with coffee, as a snack with tea or cocoa, as an offering to friends who come to visit and share the holiday with you ... or even if you're just sitting in your jammies on a Sunday morning, whether you're celebrating Sukkot or not.

Hag Sameach! [HAHG sah-MAY-ack] = Happy Holiday!

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1-1/3 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Place the oats into a skillet and toast them, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat just until they're fragrant and slightly golden; place into a large mixing bowl.

Add whole wheat flour, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a large measuring cup, combine buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla; pour over oat mixture and stir to mix. Stir in raisins.

Divide batter among the muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

Entertainment for an Insomniac

My neighbors woke me up at 3:30 the other morning. They weren't throwing dishes at each other or playing football in the front yard or anything; they were just talking. But there was a group of 6 or 7 of them talking ... and talking 10' outside my open bedroom window. So, I woke up.

I'm a notoriously bad sleeper to begin with -- late to bed, early to rise -- and am sometimes up at 3:30 all of my own accord. But that morning, I had been sleeping. And I couldn't get back to sleep after a gentle "shhhh"-ing of the noisy neighbors and their moving further away from the house.

So, what did I do while Jeremy and Tom slept? I baked.

I had made apricot jam recently ... well, not exactly "jam." I don't bother with pectin; I just chop fruit, throw in some sugar (about 2:1 fruit:sugar), and cook it down into a sorta fruit puree. And Tom had given me some candied ginger, which I adore. So, I played matchmaker and fixed 'em up together into muffins.

A little batter, a little jam, a little more batter, top it with cinnamon sugar and ginger ... if I may say so myself, these were truly exceptional! They were a perfect accompaniment to the massive quantities of coffee I drank through the rest of the morning to keep myself going after my mostly sleepless night ....

Apricot-Ginger Muffins

I made these pareve ([PAHRv] = neither meat nor dairy, a designation for those who keep kosher and can't mix meat and dairy); but you could use butter and milk, if you'd like.

Muffins:
1/3 cup Earth Balance butter substitute
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1-1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup thick apricot jam or Solo filling

Topping:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup finely minced candied ginger

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Make the muffins: In a large bowl, cream together Earth Balance and sugar; stir in egg. Mix in the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the soy milk. Place a golf ball-sized blob of batter into each of the lined muffin tins. Place about 1/2 tablespoon of jam over the batter; then divide the remaining batter among the tins, dropping it over the jam.

Make the topping: Combine the cinnamon, sugar and ginger; sprinkle over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin, as they're a bit fragile and need to set before being removed from the tin.

Makes 12 muffins.

Elvis Muffins

We all know of Elvis Presley's affinity for peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I make a pretty mean version of that -- spread some honey on the bread first, then some peanut butter, then a mashed banana; put it all together, spread butter on the outside of the bread, and fry it up like a grilled cheese sandwich.

Warm, gooey, sweet, with just a little bit of protein to delude a girl into thinking that it will balance out the carbs and sugars -- ha!!! Jeremy loves them ... LOVES them. I haven't made these for a long, long time; I might have to indulge him, to make up for the extra hours at work these days. Yes, I can buy his affection with food.

One of the ways that I cope with stress is to cook and to bake. Other people rely upon drive-thrus and take-out when life gets busy; I decompress in the kitchen. And the other day, I had some bananas to use up. But instead of making plain ol' banana bread, I made Elvis Muffins.

I'm sure you can already guess the primary ingredients in these beauties: peanut butter and banana. But there's whole wheat flour to make them more nutritious, and a sprinkling of honey-roasted peanuts on top "just 'cause."

They're easy to make, they were apparently quite the hit with Tom's co-workers when he brought some in to share, and the house smells amazing as they bake. These muffins are just "A Big Hunk o' Love."




Elvis Muffins

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Fill a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Stir in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the bananas. Add the white flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Divide batter among the lined cups. Sprinkle tops of muffins with the chopped peanuts.

Bake for 25 minutes or so, until a tester comes out clean.