Cookbook Review: The Diabetes Prevention and Management Cookbook (& Recipe)

May 9, 2013 Leave a Comment

With diabetes on a rapid rise in Western cultures, and from first hand experience with it in my family, I was happy to review:
TheDiacook

The Diabetes Prevention and Management Cookbook: Your 10-Step Plan for Nutrition and Lifestyle, recently published this year. I really wish there had been books of this quality years ago, when my Mother was alive. It would have been invaluable for her health. Not covering just recipes, but also why and what to eat, how to be healthier and what to watch for with diabetes. Especially helpful were the sections on how to eat meals balanced and just why some foods are better but also what to avoid. I passed the book on to a friend whose mother in law is diabetic and am hoping she will get a lot of use out of it.

On the recipes…there is a wide variety, some featuring meat, but many are plant-based friendly. As well, those featuring meat actually have normal sized portions. And better, the recipes watch sodium, saturated fat and use whole grains.

ChocPudding

Creamy Chocolate Banana Pudding (From page 368)

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 cups milk (used unsweetened almond milk)
  • 2 Tbsp Erythritol sweetener (or equivalent of 2 Tbsp sugar, using favorite sugar replacement)
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 bananas, sliced or diced

Directions:

Using a fine sieve, sift cocoa powder, cornstarch and sugar into a medium saucepan.

Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until misture comes to a full boil and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in Erythritol and vanilla.

Divide between 4 custard bowls, chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, top pudding with banana slices.

Serves 4.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy of this book.

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Cooking with Kids, Recipes and a bit more….

April 18, 2013 4 Comments

Last Friday I had opened up a copy of a new (and very cute!) cookbook, TIME for Kids Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook: Fun recipes for kids to make!:

Time

And planned on an evening of fun with Walker (The Toddler) in the kitchen. Well…I got a bit more than I bargained for. Oh, Walker and I still had lots of fun and made tasty food. We just ended up with an ER visit for Alistaire (The Baby) for an allergic reaction. Walker and I had made “Nutty Putty”, an edible play dough, Alistaire ate some and within minutes had facial swelling. It was either the peanuts or honey, both of which he hadn’t had before.

Ouch. Sometimes it is easy to not worry by the 3rd child if none of the others have shown any signs of allergies. Although I am glad that it happened at home, 3 miles from an emergency room, and not in the mountains, while hiking! What is he allergic to? We don’t know yet. We are waiting on blood work to come back, on if it is a peanut allergy, and for now I am carrying medication and an Epi-Pen Jr. with me . I should know by next week hopefully ..and well, we will go from there. If that comes back negative, then we will see an allergist for more.

Baby and me, relaxing after everything calmed down -

Time5

 

But back to that Mommy n’ Walker cooking time. Someone was very excited and scooted his chair over and got ready. When I was little my Mom and I made a similar dough, which I loved eating. It was neat to see the recipe again. The book is full of recipes kids will have a blast making/helping with and more so, eating after! Lots of color photos, cute drawings and fun facts for them as well. A keeper of a book.

Time4

 

He had a lot of fun rolling out the dough and cutting out “cookies”, that he and Daddy nibbled on.

Time2

 

The Incredible Edible Nutty Putty (Page 78)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1 cup instant nonfat dry milk
  • Decorations: Raisins, colored sugar, candy sprinkles, etc (optional)

Time1

 

Directions:

Stir together peanut butter and honey in a big bowl. Add dry milk, stirring until blended.

Spoon a small amount onto a plate, or in Walker’s case, on a cutting board. Shape and decorate it by hand, anyway you wish, before gobbling it up.

Store remaining putty in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

 Walker’s notes:

A set of IKEA kitchen tools for kids is perfect for fun time with Mom! We rolled out and cut cookies and then scarfed them! Yum! Mom says Nordic Ware brand also makes mini-me tools…..check Target for those in the kitchen section.

Time3

 

For breakfast after everything settled down, we tried the oatmeal recipe on page 38. It was very tasty and the oats were a neat texture – they didn’t get mushy. Yum! This was a winner of a recipe.

 

Time6

 

Fun and Fruity De-lish Oatmeal (Page 38-39)

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup water
  • ¾ cup apple cider (or apple juice)
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats (rolled oats)
  • ½ tsp salt (we used ¼ tsp)
  • ½ cup diced pear
  • ¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup milk (used unsweetened almond milk)

Directions:

Combine water and apple cider; bring to a boil in a large saucepan.

Stir in oats and salt; reduce heat to low, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pear, cranberries, cinnamon, and vanilla, stirring gently to combine.

Cook 3 minutes or until oats are tender. Stir in pecans and milk.

Mom’s notes:

I used canned pears for the oats, I found small cans at our local Grocery Outlet store that have 6 mini pear halves. So for the recipe I used 2 cans. One can I chopped up, the second I used to decorate the top of the oats. Dad wanted a pinch of brown sugar on top as well ;-)

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy of this book.

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Cookbook Review: 200 Easy Mexican Recipes (W/ Recipes)

April 11, 2013 2 Comments

Hmm..lets keep it going and have another cookbook review this week!
200mexicanrecipes

Love Mexican food? But hate yourself every time after you eat out, and feel all bloated from the grease ‘n salt in the meal? (And how is it no matter where you eat out, you reek after?) You need to read 200 Easy Mexican Recipes: Authentic Recipes From Burritos to Enchiladas asap! Every delectable you could dream of, from Horchata to dips, sauces, enchiladas, burritos to desserts…well you get the idea.

A number of the recipes are vegetarian (or even vegan) “accidentally” and if you are willing to use meat substitutes, many more can be vegetarian (and vegan cheeze, such as Daiya can be used as well). Which is what I did with the enchilada casserole, using faux-hamburger crumbles, such as Light Life or Gardein and so on.

Since my brother was visiting recently, I went all out and made a smorgasbord of food – all delicious!

Mex1

Green Chile and Herb Rice (Page 98)

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup finely chopped roasted green chile peppers
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

To roast the green chile, take your preferred chile (I used a large poblano pepper), place on a baking sheet. Roast 2 to 3″ under the broiler, flipping often, until the skin is charred. Place in a heat safe bowl, cover and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Rub off the skin, remove stem and seeds, then chop.

Blend the roasted chile with the cilantro, garlic and oil in a mini food chopper or food processor until blended. Mix with hot rice, season to taste with salt.

Vegan-friendly recipe.

Mex3

Stove Top Refried Beans (Page 100)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans pinto beans, liquid reserved
  • 2 Tbsp oil

Directions:

Heat beans and ¼ cup reserved liquid in a large saucepan over medium-high. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Using a potato masher, gently mash beans. Beans should be like a thick paste, not tunny. If too thick, add more reserved liquid, 1 tsp at a time, until bean mixture is thick, but not stiff

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add oil and beans and stir until well blended and bubbly, 4 to 6 minutes.

Serve, if desired, with crumbled queso fresco cheese, otherwise it is vegan-friendly.

Mex2

Enchilada Casserole (Page 174)

Ingredients:

  • 24 6″ corn tortillas
  • 3 cups enchilada sauce, green or red
  • 1 package faux hamburger crumbles (use the precooked variety such as Gardein) or 2 cups faux chicken strips (Gardein)
  • 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or white cheddar cheese (for vegan use Daiya)
  • 1 sweet onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • ½ cup sliced black olives
  • 1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place 6 corn tortillas in the bottom of a 9×13″ glass baking dish, overlapping as needed. Top with 1 cup of the sauce, spreading to the outer edges of tortillas. Top with half of the ”beef” or “chicken” and 1 cup of the cheese. Garnish with one-third of the onion. Layer 6 more tortillas, 1 cup sauce, remaining ”meat”, 1 cup cheese and half the onions. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas and sauce, cheese and onion.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with the lettuce, olives and tomato.

Notes:

I find enchilada casseroles bake best when tightly covered with foil, that is my preference. Thin a little sour cream with whole milk and drizzle over the wedges for a great flavor. The book has great recipes for green and red sauces, or use canned. Brands vary in heat/spice (and questionable ingredients – some green sauces have chicken broth), so read carefully.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a copy of the book for potential review.

Filed Under: Cookbooks, cooking, Dinner Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Book Review: 175 Best Mini Pie Recipes (W/ Recipe)

April 9, 2013 7 Comments

I am feeling like this should be a week of cookbook reviews! With my brother visiting recently, I had a hungry mouth to share in recipe tasting so I delved into my pile of books waiting for me – and got baking!
175BestPies

Don’t be like Sarah. Lose your fear of pie crust as early on as you can. Sure it is hard work (all that rolling), but yum…..sweet pies? Savory pies? An entire section devoted to vegetarian savouries? Many of the other recipes boasting gluten-free and vegan options? All of that, and full color photos await you in 175 Best Mini Pie Recipes: Sweet to Savory.

Fear of pie crust you ask? OK, maybe you didn’t, but hey….anyhow, my Mom was always so good at crusts, I not so much. They seemed so intimidating growing up. All that rolling (yeah, OK, I was lazy). Of course she used luscious really bad for you trans fat shortening…but it was a different era then. With a food processor and arm muscles from working out, making pie crust isn’t daunting and can actually be …easy! But I have also found that cutting corners on fat (be it vegan or dairy) doesn’t make for a tender crust. So while fun to make, this is a treat. A real treat, once in a rare time! So enjoy that hand pie, slowly, and be sure to lick the sugar off your fingers after….

HP1

Hand Pie Dough (Page 27)

(Recipe is written according to the book, with vegan options after dairy ingredients)

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 7 ounces cold butter or Earth Balance Buttery Stick, cubed
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk or plain milk (non-dairy or dairy) + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to combine.

Scatter butter/Buttery Stick overtop and pulse several times, until pieces are the size of peas.

Drizzle half the buttermilk over flour mixture and pulse 5 times to combine. Add more buttermilk 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing after each addition, just until dough begins to hold together in moist clumps.

Transfer to a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Flatten into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Makes about 1¼ pounds dough.

Note:

This can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to one month. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

HP2

Apple Hand Pies (Mom’s Mini Apple Pies, pages 56-57)

(Recipe is written according to the book, with vegan options after dairy ingredients)

Filling:

  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter or Earth Balance Buttery Stick, for vegan version
  • 3 apples, peeled and chopped (preferably crisp apples)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Cinnamon Sugar:

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Also:

  • 1 recipe Hand Pie Dough
  • 1 large egg + 1 Tbsp water, lightly beaten or ¼ cup water for vegan version

Directions:

Filling -

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter (or buttery stick). Add apples, granulated sugar and lemon juice. Cook, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain off liquid and transfer tpo a medium bowl. Add brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt and toss to blend. Set aside to cool completely.

Cinnamon Sugar -

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Pies -

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide dough into halves. Roll out to 1/16th inch thick. (My technique is rolling the dough between 2 layers of parchment paper, then doing the final rolling with the top layer removed.)

Cut out 16 5″ circles, re-rolling the scraps as needed. Set on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the edges of the circles with the egg wash or water, place about 2 Tbsp filling in the center of each circle, fold over and seal, pressing the tines of a fork around to seal/crimp. Brush the tops of the pies with more egg wash or water, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over.

Place baking sheets in freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds.

Use tip of a sharp knife to cut 3 slits in top of each pie. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, switching positions of baking sheets halfway through, until puffed and golden brown and filling is bubbling. Let cool on baking sheets on wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes about 16 pies.

Note:

The pies can be fully assembled and frozen for up to one month. Freeze on baking sheets, then transfer to zip-top bags and seal. Bake as directed above.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy of the book for potential review.

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Cookbook Review: Vegan Secret Supper (W/ Recipe & Giveaway!)

April 8, 2013 15 Comments

VSS

I was intrigued when I received a copy of Vegan Secret Supper: Bold & Elegant Menus from a Rogue Kitchen. It is a playground for inspiration and the unusual. Many of the recipes are presented as a course for a dinner, giving instructions on how to plate, and more. A book for those who love to cook and to entertain. The pantry staples section of recipes are worth the book alone: vegan cheese sauces, condiments, chutney, sauces, reductions and so much more.

Oh…and hand crafted soda extracts:

Soda1

As I served glasses of Lavender Lime Sodas to Kirk and my brother, Dave, I got a whole bunch of yuk-yukking from them. The kind of “Oh great, now Sarah is making soda. Hipster alert!!” Har har you two. I loved the delicate floral essence of the lavender, a nice use for the bounty from my many plants. Do be sure to use culinary lavender and that chemicals were not used on it. In fact, there are also ginger beer and root beer concentrate recipes. Once you realize just how easy it is to make your own soda…well, you might fall in love with it. And here is the thing – I don’t normally care for pop. It is too carbonated, too sweet and too full of junk (preservatives). Even when I can find a quality brand, the carbonation bothers my stomach. But as I read the book, my mind kept wandering back to soda. I thought of years ago when I was a barista and making Italian sodas. Those were not over carbonated, due to seltzer water. So I decided I had to try this crazy blend of flavors.

And? Perfect.

Just the right sweetness and just a bit of the bubbly! I actually had the thought that the syrup would be wonderful added to sparkling wine (say Champagne) in summer.

Soda2

Lavender Lime Soda Concentrate (From page 185)

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup agave nectar
  • ½ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
  • 2 Tbsp dried lavender flowers (culinary varieties only)

Directions:

In a pot on medium-high heat, bring agave nectar and lime juice to a boil. Boil for 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lavender seeds and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain (a fine mesh strainer works well).

Store in a bottle, in the refrigerator.

To make soda, use 1 Tablespoon concentrate per 8 ounces sparkling water (seltzer water), served over ice.

Makes about ¾ cup syrup.

~Sarah

The Giveaway!

Having enjoyed reading and using this cookbook, I’d like to share my copy with a reader! Enter using the Rafflecopter link below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy of VSS for potential review. We are hosting the giveaway of this book ourselves.

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Small Plates & Sweet Treats: Gluten-free Banana Carrot Pecan Muffins

April 2, 2013 6 Comments

Ooh-la-la…..awhile back I got a package delivered, in it was a copy of Small Plates and Sweet Treats: My Family’s Journey to Gluten-Free Cooking, from the Creator of Cannelle et Vanille:

smallplates

I had won a giveaway that was hosted by Gluten Free Travelette on her blog, and the publisher sent me a copy of the book. I love what I see as “counter-top cookbooks”, which would be the modern version of “coffee-table books”. The ones with lush photography and great writing, that draw a reader in. This isn’t what I would consider every-day dining, but more special occasion. Recipes that will have the reader questioning what they thought gluten-free meant. The book has only one recipe containing xantham gum, which I found wonderful. I would agree with her stand on it, just not a big fan of it and guar gum in baking. The book is omnivore but not necessarily meat-centric. If anything, it is used in small amounts. The recipes are presented seasonally, showcasing fresh vegetables and fruits that are ripe during those months. Each season has a section of small plates (the savory dishes) and a dessert section.

GF1

I looked over at a pile of bananas on my counter while reading, when I had reached Spring Sweet Treats. They were at the “Use me up” stop and well, the guys rarely say no to banana bread. Or muffins for that matter.

GF2

Gluten-free Banana Carrot Pecan Muffins (banana, carrot & quinoa bread, page 215)

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups ripe bananas, mashed (3 to 5, depending on size)
  • 3 whole large eggs
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup quinoa flour
  • ½ cup brown rice flour
  • ½ cup almond meal (see below)
  • 3 Tbsp tapioca starch
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans
  • ¾ cup finely grated carrots

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°, line 18 muffin cups with premium liners (such as Wilton ColorCups or Reynolds StayBrite).

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the bananas through vanilla.

Add the quinoa flour through cinnamon to a large mixing bowl.

Add the wet to the dry, stir until mixed. Fold in pecans and carrots.

Divided between the papers (they will be full), bake for 15 to 21 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to the rack. Store covered once cooled.

Makes 18 muffins.

Notes:

Why do I always recommend the fancy liners? They don’t stick to the baked goods! Ever line a muffin pan with cheap paper liners, bake low-fat muffins and half the muffin sticks to the paper? Not fun. So pay a bit more and never be frustrated again. No matter how special-needs your recipe is. Gluten-free recipes sometimes need a little love, so the liners are great – and hey, no cleanup after for your pans ;-)

OK, almond meal. You can use the dried leftovers from making almond milk or just grind almonds in your food processor. Do what is easiest!

The recipe can be prepared as a loaf, in a loaf pan. Spread in a greased loaf pan, bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until done. Let cool fully before slicing.

~Sarah

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Book Review: Raw Essence (with recipes)

March 25, 2013 4 Comments

Rawessencebook

RawEssence: 165 Delicious Recipes for Raw Living was released last week, and lucky me, I had a copy show up about two weeks ago. I couldn’t decide what to try, first world problem I know, the majority of the recipes all sounded good – and the lush photography made it even harder. If you love eating raw, you must get a copy of this book!

But….knowing me, I ended up in the dessert section. I kept wandering back to the Sugar Pie on page 194-195. Which brings me to something:

If you are over a certain age (gah, am I in that crowd now?), there was a time when Brazil Nuts were hounded on for being “unhealthy”. This was mostly due to just how high in fat the nuts are (and they are really seeds if you will). And yes, they are fattening, no doubt about that, but what the 80′s low-fat craze left out was that was that the fat was a good fat. Brazil nuts are something to not over indulge in, but to enjoy in your diet in small amounts. And oh do they produce an amazing nut butter! But do be careful, while Brazil nuts are a source of many wonderful things, indulge in a few every day, but don’t go over board. So…having said that, enjoy this pie but remember, s small slice goes far. It is rich and filling. The pie lasts a long time, up to 10 days in the refrigerator for 4 months if frozen. And that is the beauty of raw desserts – you actually ‘fill up’ and don’t mindlessly keep eating.

SP3

This was a three-part recipe, but none of the steps were hard nor time-consuming. Having fresh date paste in the refrigerator is a great time saver, it is a wonderful fat and sugar substitute for a lot of recipes (use it for oil in muffins!). The paste is  in both the crust and the filling, so make it ahead….or be like me, washing my food processor 3 times in a row ;-)

SP4

Date Paste (From page 25)

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups pitted dates (used Medjool)
  • 1½ cups filtered water

Directions:

Soaking: In a container (used a small mixing bowl), cover dates with water and let soak for 2 hours. Press down thoroughly so all dates are moistened. Cover with a weight, if necessary.

Once dates are thoroughly softened, place them along with their soaking water in the food processor and mix until a paste obtained that is as uniform, sticky and smooth as possible.

Store for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

Notes:

It only took a minute or so in my food processor to make a smooth paste. I used Medjool dates, from Costco’s produce department, which are very soft to start with. Harder dates may need a longer soak time.

SP1

Coco-Pecan Crust (from page 195)

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups pecans
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 3 Tbsp date paste
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves (I left this out)
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions:

In a food processor, reduce pecans to powder.

Add remaining ingredients and blend into a crust of even consistency that can be formed into a ball.

Keeps up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Makes one 9″ crust.

Note:

For easy pie removal, line a glass or metal pie pan with plastic wrap, then pack in the crust mixture with hands. Pat down firmly with the back of a metal measuring cup. Chill until ready to fill.

SP2

Sugar Pie (from page 195)

Ingredients:

  • 1 coco-pecan crust
  • 3 cups Brazil nuts
  • ¾ cup date paste
  • 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil

Directions:

(While I followed the directions in the book, even with our powerful Vitamix Blender, if I were to make the filling again, I would just mix it all up in the processor and skip using the blender. The filling is thick and really works the blender hard.)

In a food processor, reduce Brazil nuts to a butter that is as liquid and creamy as possible

Pour mixture into blender. Add date paste, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Reduce to a smooth paste of even consistency.

While blender is running, incorporate melted coconut. Continue blending until mixture is creamy and of even consistency.

Pour mixture into crust. Refrigerate pie for 3 hours to allow it to set.

Makes 1 9″ pie, 8 to 12 servings.

Keep covered and refrigerated for up to 10 days, or stored in freezer for up to 4 months (wrap slices individually).

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a copy of the book for potential review.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Cookbooks, cooking, Dessert, Plant Based Diet, Raw, Vitamix Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Coconut Condensed Milk

March 12, 2013 8 Comments

As I read through my copy of 150 Best Desserts in a Jar, I realized that this was a glorious cookbook. Indulgent, luxurious and so not how I should be eating.And all 150 recipes are presented in jars. If there is one thing I don’t lack in, it is mason jars in many shapes and sizes.

150dessertsjars

This for me…was a dream cookbook – 2 or 3 years ago. Heavy whipping cream loitered in the corner, whispering to me “Hey you, come on…no one will know. I have an ice-cold mixing bowl waiting for us“. OK, maybe it didn’t really happen that way. But after reading the recipes many times I wasn’t sure I could review the book as there were few viable recipes for me. Although who I am lying to? The recipe that called for whipped cream-crumbled Oreos-sour cream with a ton of sugar-then frozen? That was hard to turn away from. Except for I know that whip cream is just liquid butter ;-) Keeps me honest.

Anyhow, I decided to look at the book and see if there were recipes I might adapt to a vegan/plant-based way (which, no, this book is not an easily adaptable book). And what I picked out was not a dessert, but more a sweet smoothie. The only issue was it called for sweetened condensed milk, which is from a can – and yes, is dairy (there are vegan options out there….but they are ummm…weird). And well….I went and cried on Facebook for help and was rewarded with a link to a recipe for making it at home vegan. Thank you Rhonda for posting that link. I decided to try the recipe out using the slow cooker method. I have a medium slow cooker and I needed 2 cups worth, so I doubled the recipe. Yes, it takes time. A lot of passive time. Put it on and ignore at least, so there is that. And it can be done organic simply. No thickeners or gums either!

VCM1

Vegan Coconut Condensed Milk

Ingredients:

Directions:

Add to a medium size slow cooker. Turn to high, cook uncovered for 10 to 15 hours and on, whisking periodically, till reduced to 2 cups. You can put this on before bed, leave it on overnight and watch it the next day, for best results. It thickens up when cooled in the refrigerator. Use for any recipe calling for sweetened condensed milk.

Makes 2 cups.

VCM2

The condensed milk turned out wonderfully. It was everything a girl could hope for. But……

Chocdrink

What I used it in? Ouch. Ford (The Teen) liked it and drink his glass, but wow, it was sweet. So sweet I could only take one sip. Chocolate milk + condensed sweetened milk + pears + pear juice + ice. It didn’t need the sweetened milk, the chocolate milk was plenty! I was let down by the recipe but maybe it is because I expect more out of blender drinks (I like mine thick and frosty). The ice was lost in it. Oh well, I was happy enough that while my recipe failed for the drink, the condensed milk was a huge success. I’ll pass the book to my barista, she loves cooking as much as I do (she is one of the women who gets all my cookbooks after I am done). It wasn’t the right fit for me…still, it was a pretty cookbook.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy of the cookbook.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Cookbooks, cooking, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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