Cardamom Carrot Cupcakes- Vegan Dairy-free and Gooood for you!

A few days ago a friend asked me if I had a good carrot cake recipe. I didn't have one that I had actually tried and since then I have been dreaming of carrot cake. So this post is for her, for me and also for all those mommas out there who have kids (or hubbies) who don't eat their veggies. Here is the answer- put those unloved veggies in cake! Then sit back and watch them being devoured.Oh and devour some yourself-they taste fantastic!

I see myself doing this a few years from now when Jelly bean can but wont! eat his veggies. I will sneak zucchini in chocolate cake and make these tasty, healthy carrot cupcakes very, very often.

This genius, deceptively simple recipe is again from Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World.

Being Indian and because I love carrot halwa I had to play around with the spices so the changes I made were to add cardamom (elachi) and cloves in addition to the cinnamon in this fantastic recipe. I'm so glad I did. The whole house is filled with the aromas and I had to restrain myself from scooping up and eating all of the batter. I might also add some shredded fresh or frozen and thawed coconut next time.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Recipe source: Adapted from 

Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World

 from here





Dry Ingredients

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour


• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger ( I overlooked this, maybe next time)


• I also added: 


• 1/8 tsp clove powder 


• 3-4 elachi powdered ( I just put the seeds on a paper towel, folded the towel over and whacked them with the back of my metal measuring cups until crushed and sort of powdery)


• 1/2 cup shredded fresh or frozen and thawed coconut ( Didn't add this time but will next time)

Wet ingredients

• 2/3 cup sugar


• 1/3 cup vegetable oil


• 1/3 cup soy yogurt (plain or vanilla) 


• 1 teaspoon vanilla 


• 1 cup finely grated carrots ( I thawed frozen carrots for 2 mins in the microwave then pulsed them in my food processor on the chop setting. Don't pulse for too long lest they turn mushy)


• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts ( I didn't add these)


• 1/4 cup raisins (I hate raisins in cake so didn't add this either)

Frosting: I used the cream cheese frosting from here





Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.


• In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the wet ingredients sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, and vanilla. 


• Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices), and beat until smooth.


• Fold in shredded carrots, walnuts and raisins.


• Spray the cupcake liners with non-stick baking spray. Fill the liners 2/3 full. 


• I also pushed in a cashew on to the top due to my carrot halwa hangover.


• Bake for 26-28 minutes ( I had to bake for 40 minutes and it was still a little gooey), until a toothpick inserted through the center of one comes out clean.


• Once fully cooled, top generously with cream cheese frosting.

Or you could do what I did-poke a hole in the middle of the bottoms of each cupcake with my index finger, then using a medium round icing tip, fill with frosting.

I didnt have pastry bags so I tried using instead, an extra medicine dropper we had from the pharmacy, with which I sucked up the frosting and squeezed it into the centers. Worked quite well.

Verdict: 

Ease:  * * * * *

Taste: * * * * * 





I made one biiig mistake with this recipe. I didn't double it.and that makes me sad because these are so gooood. Tender, moist, aromatic, chewy, slightly sticky interior and crunchy top yummyness! I only made 12 and they are almost over already. I'm just eating carrots I rationalize. Adding this to my mental list of favourite recipes and I highly recommend you do too. And also lay your hands on Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World and try out all the other vegan and awesome recipes. I have posted a few here too. Look in the recipe index or click here

Easy & Quick Bourbon Chicken

Bourbon chicken is a flavorful chicken dish named after Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana and for the bourbon whiskey ingredient. The dish is commonly found at Cajun, Chinese, and American BBQ themed restaurants.

The recipe includes soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and bourbon in the base, and the chicken is marinated in this sauce. - Wikipedia 





Almost all Chinese take out menus and those at the mall food courts feature some version of this chicken in a dark sweet/sour sauce served over mounds of steaming white rice. I found this recipe while looking for something to whip up quickly for dinner one night and was intrigued by the more than 2000 reviews it had received over at recipezaar. It may not be athentic, but so many people thought it was great- fast to whip up and delicious, and I do too!





Bourbon Chicken

Recipe source: LinMarie on recipezaar now Food.com from here





Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts or tenderloin, cut into bite-size pieces


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1 garlic pod , crushed ( I used garlic paste)


• 1/4 teaspoon ginger ( I used ginger paste)


• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes


• 1/4 cup apple juice ( I used store bought prune juice, others have used orange)


• 1/3 cup light brown sugar ( I used regular sugar)


• 2 tablespoons ketchup


• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar


• 1/2 cup water


• 1/3 cup soy sauce


• 1 tbsp to 1/4 cup Bourbon whiskey ( Optional) 

Method

• Heat oil in a large skillet.


• Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.


• Remove chicken.


• Add remaining ingredients, mix well over medium heat until everything is dissolved and well combined.


• Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.


• If you like the sauce to be thicker, you can add 1 tsp of cornflour diluted in about 1/4 cup water while boiling and mix well. 


• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.


• Serve over rice and with steamed vegetables.

Verdict: 

Ease:  * * * * *

Taste: * * * * *

It's all done in about half an hour and is so easy to prepare but tastes like you have slaved for hours. Was an instant hit and will definitely be made very frequently.

Thanks Anonymous commentators, have included your suggestions and will try them next time I make this! Do leave your names so I can thank you by name :) 

Beer Bread-No Yeast No Knead Dairy-free Egg-free Quick Bread

I have been on a baking spree baking cakes and cupcakes and the Geek finally rebelled saying that my baking was going to give him diabetes. So I decided to turn to baking bread and have been thumbing thorough some cook books including 'Baking with Julia' and trying to decide between the 'Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day' method or the No-Knead Bread by Lahney. But most of these definitely simple recipes still seemed to require a bit of commitment of time and tools I didn't have, until I found this easy, almost absurdly simple and too-good-to-be-true recipe for Beer Bread.





(Update: I have since this post gotten over my fear of yeast and made and love the Brioche bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Check out my beautiful apple, cinnamon and brown sugar filled braided bread here I am now a bread fanatic!)





Immediately bells began to ring and I ran to George the grocer's little store and asked him for one single bottle of ale- "To make bread" I explained while he looked at me puzzled.





With the world cup quarter finals tomorrow-what could be a better snack for the football obsessed than beer bread? This is one easy and tasty bread that has the flavor of the beer and requires no yeast, no raising, kneading and all that mess.

I added some garlic powder and oregano for some extra yuminess. The crust is crispy and the insides soft and springy as all good bread should be. Still can't get over how easy this is- Just mix, pour, bake!Can all be done in just one dish too

Beer Bread

Recipe source: Gerald Norman on Recipezaar from here

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (sifted- make sure to sift else bread will be hard)


• 3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)


• 1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)


• 1/4 cup sugar


• 1 (12 ounce) can beer 9 recommend using either stout like Guinness or ale )


• 1/4 cup melted butter or olive oil ( I used oil olive)


• I also added 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp oregano-optional

Method

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


• Mix dry ingredients and beer.


• Pour into a greased loaf pan.


• Pour melted butter/olive oil over mixture.


• Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes. If you don't remove it and keep the bread in the pan the bottom may get soggy.

Below are some helpful notes by Gerald : 

This recipe makes a very hearty bread with a crunchy, buttery crust. If you prefer a softer crust (like a traditional bread) mix the butter into the batter instead of pouring it over the top.

Sifting flour for bread recipes is a must-do. Most people just scoop the 1 cup measure in the flour canister and level it off. That compacts the flour and will turn your bread into a "hard biscuit". That's because they aren't sifting their flour! 

If you do not have a sifter, use a spoon to spoon the flour into the 1 cup measure.

If using non alcoholic beverages then add a packet of Dry Active Yeast or 2 teaspoons of Bread (Machine) Yeast so that you get a proper rise.

Put a baking sheet or tray under the dish so that any butter that bubbles over doesn't spill onto the oven floor and catch fire.

Verdict:

Hic! The beer taste in the bread was prominent and I loved it even thought I don't even like beer! I halved the ingredients as I wasn't sure I'd like it so my bread was quite small and was all gone in seconds. Next time I will double it and make two full loves as everyone loved it and tore off chunks of this soft bread with a crunchy top.You don't have to like football or even beer to love this, whether you are making it or eating it.

Take it along for the next tailgate party and you will be the star! 

Sweet and Sour Pork with Vegetables- Smoky & delightful

I have been waiting to post this delicious recipe for an awesome sweet and sour pork that a friend sent me long ago. I played around with it quite a lot adding and subtracting until it was exactly how I liked it and so it is very different than it was originally but thanks V for bringing this to me. It is typically Asian with the soy sauce and ginger-garlic-chilly flavour combination. The smoky taste of pork elevates this dish to truly astonishing heights. I have also used this sauce base to make sweet and sour vegetables and sweet and sour chicken as well.



Sweet and sour pork with vegetables

Recipe source: My friend, the teller of stories-V



Ingredients

• Pork- ½ Pound (cut into cubes)


• Vegetables – 1 can or 1/2 packet frozen mixed veggies like broccoli, peas, carrot, beans etc.


• 1 pod garlic- slice thin


• 2-3 Green chillies ( I like the really small, extra spicy thai variety) 


• 1 tsp ginger (minced or use ginger paste)


• Cooking oil – 3 tbsp


• For the pork marinade:


• 2 tbsp all purpose flour


• 1 tbsp soy sauce


• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

For the sweet sauce:

• ¼ cup ketchup


• ¼ cup water or chicken stock


• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar


• 2 tbsp sugar


• 1 tsp pepper


• 1 tsp corn starch 

Method

• Mix ingredients for marinade in a bowl. Add the pork and rub until fully covered.Keep in the fridge for 20 mins or overnight to marinate.


• Take the cooking oil in a wok. Fry the marinated pork well until browned on all sides and the flesh is flaky and not pink. Take out and drain the excess oil. Keep the wok aside but do not wash away the glorious pork juices, we'll use this in a bit.


• Take all the ingredients for sauce in a bowl and mix well till the sugar dissolves and everything is well combined. Keep aside.


• Take the wok you used to fry the pork . Add 1 tbsp of oil. Fry the garlic, and ginger until the raw smell is gone. Now add green chillies and fry on low for a few mins until cooked. Be careful that they don't burn or you and everyone in your house will have a coughing fit!


• Add the can of vegetables and stir fry for 2 minutes or if using frozen vegetables cook as per packet instructions.


• Make some space like a well in the center of the vegetables and add in the sauce. Stir till bubbles appear as the sauce boils.


• Add the fried pork and mix well. Stir till all vegetables and pork is well coated with the sauce.


• If the sauce is a little thin and you want to thicken it, mix the corn flour with about 3-4 tbsp s of water and pour it into the sauce. Mix and let it simmer until it has thickened.


• Serve hot with plain or fried rice.

Berry Smoothies! The blender is my best friend this summer.

When it comes to appliances I used to have a minimalistic approach. Now I am slowly realizing that some appliances can really save you a lot of time and frustration and although you don't really need them, they sure are nice to have. I do a lot of research before taking the plunge and cluttering up my house (though the ice cream machine I must confess was in a moment of weakness and I hope it will not be banished to some cupboard and never see the light of day.)

That said, I do love my little Cuisinart Mini Prep Food Processor.Tiny but powerful it has served me well in the kitchen, grinding nuts and pureeing veggies. But it was a little too small to make smoothies comfortably and I didn't want a bulky huge blender cluttering up my counter, or have to deal with the washing up of the huge glass blender jar. So instead, I recently bought this Cuisinart Stick Hand Blender and now I feel like a fool for not having done so sooner.

What this stick/immersion blender can do:

Puree veggies for soup (right in the pot) -check

Blend spinach and onions for palak gravy right on the stove top-check

Mash bananas into creamy baby food for Jelly bean-check

Pulverize a handful of frozen fruit and a cup of soy milk into a JambaJuice busting smoothie?- oh yes!

The tip to making great smoothies in a blender is to add  little bit of liquid to liquefy the frozen fruit,- milk/soy milk and use short bursts or "pulses" of about 10 seconds to break up the frozen fruit or even ice cubes instead of letting the machine run for a long time where you end up with mush near the blades and chunks at the top. If using a stick blender, move it up and down so that there is even blending. 

I really like how easy clean up is as the blade part is dismantalable and can be easily dish-washed.

Here are my two little kitchen buddies ( Laurel & Hardy) who will be featuring in a lot of my kitchen escapades this summer:



                                                                                                      

Today's dinner-Easy Baked Chicken

Today was one of those days when Jelly Bean didn't want me out of his sight. Elaborate cooking plans on these days, with a squirming baby attached to my neck and arm will not work. So instead of having Geek get us more In-and-Out's delicious, really delicious burgers dripping mayo, I surprised him with this easy-peasy, totally awesome baked chicken. With a prep time of about 60 seconds and then tossed in the oven for 50 mins-what else can you ask for? Not even In-and Out!

Easy Baked Chicken

Recipe adapted from: Kim D on Recipezaar.com here

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts/ or tenderloins, (if you get them with skin they will crisp nicely)


• 1/4 cup olive oil. (You could also use melted butter if you're feeling naughty :)


• 1-2 teaspoon Seasoning-All salt (like McCormick's Seasoning salt, I used Mc Cormick's garlic powder and Beef stew seasoning  )


• 1 tsp pepper


• 1 tsp dried Oregano (optional) 

Method

• Preheat oven to 400°F.


• Take a shallow baking dish and pour half of the olive oil into it.


• If you want you could also lay some slices of onion, tomato and chopped garlic


• Now place the chicken breasts


• Pour the remaining olive oil/butter over the chicken


• Rub the seasoned salt or other seasoning over the chicken.You could also add some herbs like thyme and rosemary if you prefer.


• Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through but don't over cook, as they might be tough.

Verdict:

The chicken was tender, juicy, cooked perfectly. I served it over some frozen beans which I cooked in the microwave per manufacturers directions, with some salt and pepper in the same dish (corning ware) that I'd baked the chicken so that it was covered in the lovely baked juices.

I cooked the potatoes too in the microwave,  for about 5 minutes on High after cutting them into cubes or whole, after poking holes in them with a fork and rubbing them with some oil and salt. After 5 minutes switch off the mirowave and let sit for 1-2 minutes. If they feel like they are not done simply nuke them for a few minutes longer. Microwaved potatoes taste just like they have been baked and are soo easy! This is the only way I cook potatoes now.

This baked chicken offers many variations. Next time I will try seasoning the chicken with lemon juice salt  and pepper. This chicken can be served over rice, with pasta, in a sanwich with freshly baked bread, in soups etc.



Edited on 17th Nov 2010 to add:

This has become my go-to recipe whenever I'm exhausted after a day of running behind our little crawling monkey who is all over the place. I made it again tonight when the thought of slicing and stirring made me want to cry. Today I used:

2 chicken breasts ( I buy a big pack of individually ice glazed chicken breasts from costco and defrost in the microwave)

1/4 th spoon of lemon pepper

1 tsp of oregano leaves

1/4 tsp of pepper powder

A light sprinkling of adobo goya seasoning salt

1/4 cup of gralic infused olive oil

1 whole russet potato cut into cubes



I also spread some of the garlic infused olive oil on some bread (or use regualr olive oil and just rub a fresh garlic glove cut in half over the bread) and put it on a cookie sheet in the oven during the last 10 mins to have some garlic bread on the side as well. Easy and delicious dinner and I barely had to cook it!

Earl Grey Tea Cupcakes Vegan & Dairy free- Help! the cupcakes have taken over!!

We were invited to dinner by baby T's mom so of course I had to make cupcakes, again. Whether you like them or not, if you invite me over for dinner, I will bring cup cakes. Soon if you even look in my general direction you will probably be force fed cupcakes. Because, my friends, they have taken over. More specifically, Vegan Cupcakes have taken over my world.

This is another recipe adapted from that amazing book that I just cannot say enough good things about.

This time I also solved my how to gift-pack cupcakes dilemma:



1. Bake cupcakes leave them to cool. Do not frost



2. Pick out cute gift bag like these ones from retailpackaging.com or be creative and make one yourself

3.Pack cupcakes into zip lock bag

4. Make frosting and scoop it all into another seperate zip lock bag so that your gift-ee can just snip one end of the frosting zip lock and pipe it over the cuppies herself. Much less messier.

5. Put both zip lock bags, with other goodies like a card?, something hand knit? a bottle of wine maybe? into the cute giftbag

6. Ta-da! Super nice hostess/Teacher/Sorry-I-split-coffee-on-your-pretty-skirt-but-heres-a gift gift.

Earl Grey Tea Cupcakes- Vegan & dairy free

Recipe source: Adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World from here

Makes about 12 cupcakes





Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup soy milk


• 4 Earl Grey teabags or 2 tablespoons loose Earl Grey tea (I used Twinnings and next time I will use 5 bags since the taste was too mild for me with 4)


• 1/4 cup canola oil


• 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt


• 3/4 cup granulated sugar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Dry Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda ( Think I will up it to 1/2 tsp baking soda next time)


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest


• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Method

• Preheat oven to 375º and line tin with 12 greased cupcake liners (Grease well since these cupcakes have a tendency to stick to the liners)


• In a saucepan or in the microwave, heat soy milk until almost boiling, add tea bags and citrus zest, cover and remove from heat.


• Let sit for 10 minutes.When ready to use, stir teabags and thoroughly squeeze to make sure as much tea is dissolved in milk as possible.


• In a large bowl or in your blender, mix together oil, yogurt, sugar, vanilla and tea mixture until all yogurt lumps disappear.


• Sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Mix until large lumps disappear; it's okay if some small lumps remain.


• Fill tins full (since these don't rise much) and bake about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Ingredients for frosting

(I didn't frost mine, just sprinkled some sugar and orange zest over my cuppies)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted vegan butter (The Earth Balance brand is the best)


• 2 cups powdered sugar (Or you could just whizz reqular sugar in your blender until fine and powdery)


• zest of 1/2 lemon


• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

• Cream the butter until smooth, gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture is very fluffy.


• Zest the lemon over the bowl into the frosting, add the lemon juice and stir until smooth.


• Spread or pipe the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes. If you frost the cupcakes while they are still warm, the frosting may melt and become runny.

Verdict

Ease:  ❤ ❤ ❤ ♡ ♡

Taste: ❤ ❤ ♡ ♡ ♡

I was a little disappointment that they didn't rise very much. The next time I will try increasing the baking soda to 1/2 tsp instead of 1/4. Also I used Twinnings tea bags and the earl grey taste was very,very mild. Will increase to 5 or even 6 tea bags for a stronger flavor. I was very happy with the packaging though. Felt very Martha Stewart like :)

If you like this you should totally check out my other favourite cupcake & cake recipes here

All my dessert recipes are here

All my favourite Vegan recipes are here

Earl Grey Tea