You guessed it -- I made some seitan. I used the recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance, but I am aware there's a simplified one in Veganomicon. Here's my freshly-kneaded seitan 1/2 log:
And after boiling, waiting to cool down in the strainer:
I had the hardest time deciding how to prepare the seitan for my lunch, but since I am a peanut sauce addict, I finally settled on Cold Udons with Peanut Sauce and Seitan from Vegan with a Vengeance. P.S. The noodles in the picture are actually spaghettini, not udons.
I was worried that the peanut sauce wouldn't be up to my standards, but I should have known: Isa Chandra Moskowitz sets the standards. Her peanut sauce blew me away and I will now compare all others to hers. I bow down to her culinary awesomeness.
I also undertook two other projects in the past two days. Having failed before, I am ecstatic to report that I finally worked out the kinks and successfully produced Homemade Larabars!
I finally got them to stick together! Before I had been trying to construct the bars out of Deglet Noor dates, but after doing some research on dates, I learned that Deglet Noors are a semi-dry date and are not ideal for a Larabar recipe. Medjool dates are the juiciest, softest dates, and I used these to make my Larabar. Hopefully this technique will save me a little money, because I've been buying Larabars at the store left and right for the past week or so.
I used bunnyfoot's Larabar recipe. One pitted medjool date made up the base of my bar, and then you are free to choose three tablespoons of mix-ins. My Larabar had 1-1/2 tablespoons of raw hazelnuts and 1-1/2 tablespoons of raw walnuts. Lately I've been enjoying a Larabar right after I finish at the gym. I work out at night, so this particular night I came home, made my Larabar, threw it in the freezer, changed into my pajamas, and then ate my Larabar. Yum.
I also made a mocha with my espresso machine to enjoy with a storebought Larabar the other day, too - look at the awesome design I poured!
Can you see the apple shape in the foam, or am I imagining it?
Yummy Snickerdoodles
Celine posted a snickerdoodle recipe on her blog that makes 7 cookies, so I whipped up a batch for my sister and me to split. I liked the recipe a lot - this is the one I'll make from now on; and I'm not sure if snickerdoodles traditionally have more spices or if snickerdoodles even come along with a tradition, but I think I'll add some freshly grated nutmeg and a speck of ground ginger to the recipe next time. They still tasted great, like little fluffy pillow clouds of goodness, and the recipe calls for a stand mixer but I'm all that and got the dough down and dirty with a whisk.
These three items have been on my kitchen to-do list, so I'm glad I finally conquered them. Three cheers for successful food projects!
35 comments:
so much to comment about, okay wow, first of all, congrats on your first seitan! I really want to try that udon recipe, so I'm glad you say it's so tasty. and also your successful larabar! Maybe it's just me, but I think yours looks even tastier than the store bought kind, because there's more nuts to chew through. I'm definitely going to have to try this myself!
Also, your coffee swirling skills are so pretty, I wish you could do mine, it looks like such a treat. Especially with some of those awesome sounding cookies.
Oh, oh! And here's the fractioned banana bread recipe!
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp margarine
1 tbsp applesauce
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1-2 tbsp soy milk (the ppk site says to add 1/4 tsp of apple cider vinegar to this, but I didn't seem to have that written down when I made it)
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of allspice
1/8 tsp salt
preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a small baking dish. cream together the sugar and margarine, then add the applesauce, banana, soymilk and vanilla, and mix to combine.
sift together the dry ingredients, then add the wet into the dry, mix, and pour into the baking dish. Bake for about... 40 minutes? depends how moist you like your bread! I think I overshot it, so half an hour might work (especially if there's a thin layer of batter instead of a whole loaf). Yay for tiny baking, eh? :D
I agree with liz on the larabars! Thanks for the cookie recipe to.
I was laughing out loud to when I saw the steven video :)
I was never able to work out night, it makes me too wired and then I can't sleep!
oh, the snickerdoodles: the original recipe has a little paragraph before it that says we can add nutmeg or ginger to the cinnamon sugar! didn't think to mention it, but there you have it.
yours came out beautifully.
Hooray for your successful seitan, AND the Larabars!! And yes, medjool dates are THE best to use (and the best dates, period - those dried, pitted ones are horrid!)
I DO see the apple shape in the foam!!! Too cool!!!
Mmm, snickerdoodles - yum!
I could pretty much live off of seitan and larabars!! Glad to hear they were a success (you're going to save a ton of money!)
Those bars look great, wow! I'm impressed :) and the cookies look good too. I've never had a snickerdoodle as they're not popular here in Sweden but after seeing them on soo many blogs I want to try them soon.
Great work, Ruby Red! Everything looks fabulous. :)
Oh thank GOODNESS you are no longer a seitan-making virgin.
And yes, I can see the apple! Ooh, speaking of apples, I saw the cutest idea in a magazine for apple cupcakes :o).
Snickerdoodles = love
I've tagged you! You lucky duck you get to share 5 things about yourself :) This post is just awesome by the way, homemade Larabars??? Coolest thing ever!
Your seitan looks excellent! The texture looks nice and dense, just the way I like it.
Yay for the homemade Larabars!! Hazelnuts and walnuts- yum! Yours sound excellent and I'm glad that this finally worked for you. You have inspired me to try my hand at making Larabars (the perfect snack for finals next week)
And you coffee swirl looks gorgeous. I do see the apple!
do you mind me asking what university you attend? I go to school here in st. louis as well. i'm super excited that theres another vegan foodie in the area! sometimes I feel like the only one :)
I have been meaning to try my hand at homemade seitan as well...I'm a bit intimidated.
Peanut sauce=top ranking condiment. I didn't discover peanut sauce until this year, and now I can't get enough of it. I'll have to try Isa's recipe.
Yay for successful Larabars! I actually bought some Medjool dates today, so I might have to put those to use tomorrow in my blender!
homemade larabars! You made my day!
Your seitan looks great, good job! I've only made baked seitan before, never the boiled kind. Medjool dates are the only kind of dates I ever buy-all other dates are too dry and flavorless. Congrats on successfully making a Larabar. Store-bought Larabars are quite pricey.
In the same magazine where I saw the apple cupcakes, I saw another cupcake idea that I am definitely going to try and that reminded me of you-- cappuccino cupcakes. They actually looked like little mugs of cappuccino.
Ooh and I had waffles for breakfast today too... then I felt like oatmeal, so I had some oatbran as part of my lunch!
HEY! Seitan is def. on my to do list... I just got v'con and was thinking of trying it... I know the recipe is a little different in Vegan with a veng. but did it come out ok? Last time i tried the texture was gross and so was the smell!
I've still never gotten around to making seitan... Truth be told, it's not a huge priority. But yours does look really good, so perhaps I should move it up on the list!
congrats on your seitan! I'm planning on making my first batch this week.
And thank you for the Larabar link!
hey!
Im glad it came out well.... im gunna try it again. I always love it in restaurants but when I made it my self it was puke worthy.. maybe too much soy sauce?
PS.... after reading your blog last night, I went out and bought everything I needed for the banana coffee cake! I saw it on susans blog too and after seeing that you had success I HAVE to try!!!!
Seitan, scary. Hah, I am terrified of messing it up. But the larabar? Oh my gosh, you're so talented, that looks totally and completely amazing and authentic and even better than the real ones. Give yourself a pat on the back ;) good job.
Yay for making seitan!! Did you like it? Was it worth the effort? I need to make a batch soon....
And your homemade larabars look so yummy! What a money-saver as well!
Great job on the homemade larabar, you rock!
we should definitely meet up next semester...that would be so much fun. I have been to kaldis many times...I love it there. They are definitely the most vegetarian friendly coffee house around. But have you ever been to Northwest Coffee house? They make an awesome soy latte too. I am also moving into an apartment. Its within walking distance of Washu's campus. Best of all, it has a kitchen. I can't wait! When does SLU start back next semester? By the way, have you ever been to the smoothie place/cafe over by schnucks off clayton. It is the only place I know of that has lots of vegan options. About half of the menu is vegan. Wraps, soups, smoothies and more. Delicious!
I've never tried my hand at making seitan stuff - Truth be told, I've always just dismissed recipes with seitan because its impossible to buy, and I've never seen gluten flour in shops either...I guess I'd have resort to the old fashioned method of rinsing really cheap white flour, but it seems like such a waste!
If someone manages to convince me that it has some nutritional value, then I might try it one day!
That coffee machine looks like its doing a good job! mmmm!
Oh I wish I could've sent you some of the squash... I wish I could've taken some home for me, too. It was one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth!
Hehe I'm actually in the process of cupcake-decorating right now. Not the cappuccino cupcakes yet, though-- those'll have to wait for another time... like when you come to visit ;o)
Yay for checking off so much on your to-do list! That always feels great and those cookies look amazning- way to go!
you made your own larabars?? you are A GENIUS... ;)
Congratulations on the seitan AND the larabar! Both look perfect.
Was making the seitan hard? I've only eaten it once I think and wasn't a fan but I'm keen to give it another try but there isn't anywhere to buy it round here.
Also, your Lara bar looks awesome. I've gotta try that out sometime. Sounds perfect for after the gym but I do my training in the morning so it's breakfast straight after for me.
Those lil' snicks are too cute! The bigger sugar crystals must make for a lovely cookie texture.
Peanut sauce is quickly becoming an addiction for me. I love that peanut butter works with anything from toast to cookies to noodles...so versatile.
And, your homemade larabars? Wow! I will definitely be making those for summer backpacking/hiking trips...if the weather here ever decides to cooperate! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I love Larabars; my favorite flavors are cinnamon bun and apple pie! Great job making homemade ones, that is so awesome! I also adore Medjool dates; if I buy some, it is hard to not eat all of them at once!!
As a fellow peanut sauce fanatic, you have inspired me to try Isa's version!
Ok, you have convinced me to embark on a mission-- "Operation Steal the Squash Recipe"
Care to join me on this oh-so-secretive misison?
Hey! I just saw Lindsy's post about your newfound stardom! Congrats! How cool is that you rockin' vegan college student! :)
i think you've just inspired me to make my first seitan, too! :) yours looks awesome!
and those larabars = delicious!
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