Low carb individual cheesecakes - a recipe

As more and more research is coming to light about the benefits of eating low-carb as part of a healthy-eating lifestyle, especially when linked to trying to conceive, I decided it was too simple a change not to make.

I had done Atkins years ago, immediately prior to conceiving my daughter, so I had some personal  knowledge that, at least, it won't hurt my chances and was comfortable that I'd be able to "handle" the changes necessary to eat significantly low-carb.

Since late July, I have been following a more-or-less Atkins approach to my dietary life and, after cheating only once (at a fantastic US-themed party in August) and ironing out some kinks (having too much fruit), my body has been responding quite positively and I have now lost more than 8.5 cm from my waist.

My journey isn't over, however, as I would like to be still significantly smaller than I currently am, but I can already feel the benefits (not least of which is gaining some semblance of confidence).

Now that I have made the change and done the hard work of "coming off of sugar" (for the skeptics, research proving sugar addiction exists linked here), I genuinely hope I can spend the rest of my life avoiding it altogether.* Luckily, I've always had more of a garlic-tooth than a sweet-tooth!

This doesn't mean, however, that I don't like the occasional sweet thing (hence the cheating at that party).

When trying to decide something of the dessert/sweet variety to revamp, my mind went immediately to the one thing, the only thing I had cheated with since starting this journey: Cheesecake.

The cheesecake I had at that fateful party was, in fact, Cheesecake Factory cheesecake and the recipe below doesn't compare to how that magical dessert tastes, but it's a place for me to start, a springboard off which I can launch further trials and experiments in trying to recreate the famous and specific flavours of the Cheesecake Factory cheesecake.

Without further ado:

Low-Carb Individual** Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

• 450g cream cheese
• 100g xylitol (or appropriate ratio of other sweetener)
• 1 1/2  tbsp almond flour
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4  tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 140 ml crème fraîche

Method:

• Preheat the oven to fan  200C. 
• Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed until creamy (about 2 minutes). With the mixer on low, gradually add the sugar, then the flour and salt, being careful to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the mixture is fully incorporated. 
• Add the vanilla, lemon juice. 
• Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl to ensure everything is properly blended. 
• Add the crème fraîche.
• Whisk to blend but do not over-work the filling.
• Pour filling into 8 ramekins. 
• Place ramekins on a baking sheet and put them into the oven.
• Bake for 5 minutes. 
• Reduce oven temperature to fan 90C and bake for 15 minutes more. If you gently shake the baking tray, the filling should have a slight wobble. 
• Turn off the oven and open the oven door for a cheesecake that's creamy in the centre, or leave it closed if you prefer a drier texture. Let cool completely in the oven.
• Refrigerate overnight for best flavour/texture.

I originally made this both with and without a base and both turned out delicious, but because the base I chose is actually a shortbread, it wasn't quite the same as what I as used to so I preferred the cheesecakes without. The shortbread I used for a base. I hope to eventually develop something closer to the Cheesecake Factory base.

*Before I have reached my goal size, I plan on thoroughly investigating the "Keto" way of eating and, considering the results of that research, may switch to that for the maintenance phase of life.

**Due to unforeseen circumstances, our kitchen is without some large appliances - namely, an oven and hob, both of which were gas-powered. Because of this, I made these in a small batch in my toaster oven. If you would like to make a full-size cheesecake, I recommend you:

• Double everything above 
• Brush the sides of a springform tin with melted butter and put on a baking sheet. 
• Pour in the cheesecake filling 
• Bake for 10 minutes. 
• Reduce oven temperature to fan 90C fan and bake for 25 minutes more. (Gently shaking the tin should give the filling a slight wobble.)
• Turn off the oven and open the oven door for a cheesecake that's creamy in the centre, or leave it closed if you prefer a drier texture. 
• Let cool in the oven for 2 hours. The cheesecake may get a slight crack on top as it cools.

• Refrigerate overnight.

Buffalo Popcorn

This is not, in any way, an advertisement or affiliated post. The views expressed herein are my own and I have not been paid or remunerated in any fashion for what is to follow.

I am a huge fan of flavoured popcorn.

Huge.

If, like me, you have ever tried to make flavoured popcorn then it's likely that you've learned the pitfalls of adding a water-based flavour to popcorn and the resulting disaster.

This was something I learned when I tried to follow a simple recipe I'd found online for popcorn made with Frank's Hot Sauce. 

I'm a huge fan of Frank's and thought it would be an amazing addition to popcorn. I followed the recipe to the letter and, as my soggy, deflated kernels baked in the oven, I knew something wasn't right. 

The recipe I had found instructed that the popcorn be made, tossed in Frank's sauce and then baked to sort of set the flavouring on the kernels. 

What I had created, however, was spicy, wet popcorn. It was disappointingly soggy and gross. 

Further research indicated that adding water-based liquid to popcorn will cause it to deflate (duh!) but that oil-based liquids add flavour without causing the sogginess. It's because of this that butter-flavoured popcorn is so popular: kernels are flavoured but remain light and fluffy.

Still wanting Frank's popcorn, I was left with a dilemma: how to get the flavour of the sauce without the accompanying wetness/water.

I've had a popcorn epiphany!

I warmed my oven to "barely warm" (125C/250F), spread some Frank's onto some baking paper and placed it into the oven. Once the Frank's had completely dried out, I removed it and placed it into a resealable plastic food bag. I repeated this step once more to ensure I had enough flavour.

Using a pestle and mortar, I ground up the "sauce" to pulverise it a bit as the pieces were too large for adding to my popcorn.

I then added some garlic granules and a dash of table salt.

And ground that all together.

Popped my popcorn as usual...

Then tossed the popcorn in some of the flavour mix to coat... (the rest of the mix is waiting for my next batch of popcorn! If you'd like some more detailed measurements of ingredients, please shout. I certainly will be making this again so wouldn't mind writing things down this time.)

 I have to say, it was delicious!

Now, I wonder what other flavours I could be adding to my popcorn!

Introducing "Mud" - a vegan chocolate dessert

Mud, mud, I love mud.

I'm absolutely, positively, wild about mud!

I can't go around it, I've gotta go through it.

Beautiful, fabulous, super-duper mud!



If you're not familiar with the above little ditty you've probably never been camping nor were a member of a "scouting" organisation as a child. The song has been sung around many a campground fire and repeated with glee after numerous strong rainstorms.

I love mud. I love what can be done with mud... facial masks, pore cleansing, house building, children entertaining. Take some earth, simply add some water and it's amazing what you can accomplish with the resulting product.

Did you ever make MudPies as a child? Dirt in a pail, water added and served to loving, patient family members willing to pretend it's the yummiest dish they've ever consumed - what could be better?

How about serving them "mud" they'll actually want to eat?

Introducing "Mud" - a vegan chocolate dessert (free recipe!) from Mrs B bakes! It's a rich, velvety, sweet dish that's nothing like a mousse (no air), thicker than a custard or pudding and absolutely delicious!

Mud

1 (12.3 ounce/349 grams) package extra-firm silken tofu (I used an aseptic pack of long-life tofu called Blue Dragon) drained of excess liquid

1/4 plan milk replacement (I used oat milk but soya, almond, rice... would all work)

1 tbsp Simple Sugar Syrup (recipe follows) or 2 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

300 grams (about a cup and a half) semisweet chocolate chips

Break up tofu into a food processor. Add the milk, sweetening syrup and vanilla. Puree until completely smooth.

Bring a small saucepan half-filled with water to a boil and reduce heat to low. Place a metal bowl over the saucepan while it's simmering (not a rolling boil). Put chocolate chips in warming bowl and stir with a spatula while it melts. Once completely melted (no solid chips left) remove from heat (don't forget to turn off burner).

Scrape down the sides of your food processor, replace lid and turn on. Using the feeder tube, pour melted chocolate into the running food processor and blend until fully incorporated.

Using your spatula, transfer the mud into a bowl (or an airtight container) and cover with plastic wrap (see photos for a handy tip!) and chill. Mud is ready to eat after just an hour!

(Caution: Mud is not a pudding; it's much richer. Please keep that in mind when serving Mud as too much could overwhelm the palate.)

Instead of placing the plastic wrap over the rim of the bowl/container - lay it flat directly on top of the mud, creating an airless space between the mud and the plastic.

Push the plastic wrap to the outer edges of the mud and smooth to ensure no air is trapped between the mud and the plastic.

Curl/fold edges on top of centre inside the bowl, again to ensure no air contacts your mud.

These simple steps can help keep your puddings, custards and muds from getting a strange film across the top or simply drying out!

Simple Sugar Syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

Bring both to a boil in a saucepan (you may need to stir a bit to ensure sugar is completely dissolved) then remove from heat and allow to cool.

Store in refrigerator.

That's it! It's that simple (hence the name) and can be used to sweeten any number of things. Works especially well in cold beverages such as iced lattes, iced teas... it dissolves a lot faster/more easily than solid sugar granules so now that you've discovered it I'm sure you'll turn to it again and again!

Prepping for our photo shoot...

YES soup for you!

Being unable to eat milk products has left me with a wanting for certain foods such as pizza, mac'n'cheese, cream of tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches...

Thankfully, the list is small and I've stopped craving cheese so I'm able to find easy substitutes for these comforting foods.

Pizza is easy for me; I just use a yeast-free base and don't add cheese to my toppings. Problem solved.

Mac'n'cheese used to be an issue when I really wanted cheese but now it's OK. I sort of miss it but not enough to even take a bite of someone else's.

When it came to cream of tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches I was really stuck. I can't have the cream in the cream of tomato soup; can't have the cheese in the grilled cheese sandwich and even finding the right bread for me can be tricky. Nightmare.

That is until last week when I decided to just wing it. Thankfully, for the first time I started writing down what I was throwing into the pot instead of guessing afterwards. This also allowed me to take accurate measurements so, if the experiment worked; I could share it with confidence that what I told you wouldn't result in something horrid!

Well, it definitely worked. It worked so well I decided that night was officially Date Night and (pardon the pun) made a real meal out of it!

Thick and Creamy Tomato Soup

In a large pot add the following:

1/4c Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 400g (14.5 oz) cans of chopped tomatoes (please approximate if your can size is different)

1 cup chopped spinach (mine was frozen)

2 bags of Steam-Fresh type mixed vegetables (I used Broccoli, Sweetcorn and Carrots by Birds Eye)

1tsp mix dried Italian herbs

1tsp Oregano

1/2tsp onion powder

1tbsp minced garlic (I use Very Lazy Garlic)

1.5L (about 6.5 cups) vegetable stock

Set aside 1 - 1.5 cups soya cream (I used reduced fat to great effect)

Bring this all to a boil allow to do so for about 10 minutes. Reduce to low heat and leave to simmer for about an hour (I left mine for about two hours and simply added some more stock later to thin it a bit but I like heavy soups).

Use food processor to blend the soup (make sure not to over-fill the food processor, this may mean you have to do two batches) and return it to the pot over low heat.

Just prior to serving add soya cream and stir to blend well.

I served this with garlic bread and it was a hearty meal that I intend to make a lot this winter. YUM!

Our backyard/garden/behind-the-flat/house-area is coming along nicely, the ground work is all completed and all that's left is to finish the decking!

I've been baking a bit lately:

Basic Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse topping

Almond Cupcakes with Vegan Cream Cheese frosting...

...and a surprise Chocolate Mousse filling

(Why do I feel the need to add the word "Vegan" when I say "cream cheese" considering the entire dessert is Vegan? I only bake Vegan but I worry that people will see "Cream Cheese" and get the wrong idea, I guess, so it's a little added emphasis that it's still OK even though it's called "cheese". I worry, though, that stressing the Vegan bit only there will lead to people to think that that's the only part that is Vegan. Oh, well. Can't please them all, as they say!)

See you soon!

Laundry "spiders", cookies and other life detours...

When I started this blog it was with the intention of showing you, dear readers, what it is that I love to do and how that love affects my daily choices, especially regarding my eating habits.

What I love to do is bake. I love to bake vegan sweet goodies that people are surprised about and utterly melt over.

This blog isn't very old and yet I already have a plethora of tags that aren't at all related to baking. This, for me, is a bit annoying but completely not surprising. I've always had many "layers" in my life and having begun to share more of them here seems, now, like a natural progression.

I'm sorry if you came here wanting only vegan goodies (sweet or savoury) and aren't that entertained by the rest of me. I wish you well on your own personal journey but this is a journey that I must make and, therefore, am taking the wheel and consciously deciding that it shall be reflected in this blog. All the layers. All the Me-s I have to offer.

If you don't mind and/or enjoy seeing more of my layers; welcome! We're in for a strange and wondrous trip, indeed!

Since it's been so long since I last posted I have a few things I'd like to share today so stay tuned or tune out. Either way I've numbered them so you can skip topics (or refer back to them) as you like....

1. Laundry "Spiders"

I have long hair. Very long hair by some standards, though it's not yet as long as I'd like it (and yet, simultaneously, I wish I could sport a chic, shorter style that better befits my physical age but alas, the build of my body makes longer hair aesthetically necessary *sigh*).

Because I have long hair I end up with it everywhere. On the floors, in the shower drain, on MrB's back as he's leaving for work, worked into a knitting or crochet project. That part's a nuisance, certainly, but OK as they're in small numbers and easily contained and removed.

What utterly annoys me, however, is the little balls of hair that I find in the laundry. Every. Single. Time.

I call them Laundry Spiders and toss away several of them every time I do a wash. (The record for one load is 7. SEVEN! from one load of mostly socks.)

Am I the only one who gets these?? Surely I can't be!

What do you call them?

Do you have any hints, tips, tricks for getting rid of them? I'd LOVE to know!

2. Baking

And now for something you may or may not have been waiting for. My original Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

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Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

1cup dairy-free margarine, at room temp
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (when I mix it up a little I use 1 teaspoon vanilla and one teaspoon almond)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose/plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or vegan carob chips)
3/4cup vanilla soy yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cream the margarine and sugar with a hand mixer until fluffy

Add the molasses and vanilla and incorporate. Add the dry ingredients to this mixture and mix until a dough forms. Fold the chocolate chips into the dough.

Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets or an ungreased, unlined cupcake tin. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (my oven is -definitely- 8 minutes) until lightly browned. (Two notes: Due to their vegan status and chemistry, the cookies will not spread as much as normal cookies but that's good! Also, Don't worry about under cooking them as there's no raw eggs to worry about, though, the 8-10 minute rule, for me, leaves a cookie that's gently soft-crunchy on the outside and wonderfully soft and gooey on the inside!)

Allow to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack. (At this point baking sheets can be rinsed under cold water to prepare them for the next batch.)

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I know there are a ton of other good, vegan chocolate chip cookie recipes out there and respect that they are probably very good. I only decided to invent my own recipe when I realised that most of the better recipes which yield a softer cookie contain flaxseeds/linseed and I know a lot of people have seed allergies so wanted to avoid them if I could.

If/when you make these, please do let me know what you thought of the recipe. I live for feedback and won't necessarily know I need to change something unless you tell me. Yes, you.

3. Life

Just recently (last Thursday, to be exact) I went to see a psychiatrist who has diagnosed me with Adult (Inattentive) Attention Deficit Disorder and my life has been quite strange since that moment.

I went to him thinking I had it or something akin to it (Would it really be me if I had gone to a doctor without investigating the jeepers out of something first?! I thought not.) but when he confirmed that I do, indeed, have it I can't accurately describe what I was thinking or feeling.

There was some relief, some disbelief, some shame, some anger, some fear, some impatience... gosh, the list is virtually endless.

At the suggestion of a dear friend I purchased some books by Edward M. Hallowell (Driven to Distraction and Driven from Distraction - both can be purchased from Amazon.com/.co.uk) and from what I've read so far I truly believe my life will change for the better with this diagnosis. I'm almost through the first book and it's almost as though this book was written specifically for me. Mr. Hallowell certainly seems to understand the condition (as he well should, he suffers, too).

I'm sure there will be a lot more written on this blog about ADD in the future so I'm going to stop here now that I've introduced it.

4. AOB

Stay tuned because in the next few days I'll be introducing a Tomato "Soup" recipe!

Those poor, neglected cupcakes!

Mr Landscaper has taken a week "off" (he's working on someone else's garden that was booked before we hired him) and so I spent last week "cleaning".

"Cleaning" consisted of taking everything out, sorting through it, tossing what should be tossed, shredded what should be shredded, donated what should be donated and finally (and most importantly!) organised what was left!

It took me more time than I care to admit but it was fun! I thoroughly enjoyed the work that went into getting everything sorted, streamlined, easier to find/use/clean. I have a deep feeling of satisfaction from having everything in its place and a place for everything. I am, however, more than a little embarrassed at having let things get in such a state that it took so long to pull them back together in some sense of non-chaos.

During this past week I've also done some cooking and baking.

The first thing I baked was Green Tea Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World - I've since discovered that simply baking them isn't enough. While I was so busy cleaning I left the poor things sitting for a week. No love, no icing, no photo shoot, not even a bite taken to test how they tasted. The poor things just went to waste. I feel so horrid. They were lovingly created and then quickly forgotten. Left to sit in a bag, unable to live to their fullest potential. Their lives unfulfilled. Their destiny the trashcan instead of satisfying some lonely tastebuds some where. Poor things. I'll have to make them again. Soon. And this time actually pay attention to them!

I've also made some delicious Veggie Burgers from a recipe created by this talented lady. With her permission, I'm now going to share the recipe for these little beauties with you.

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Smoky Tofu and Red Bean Burgers

(makes 6 patties)

1 14oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 7 oz. firm tofu, squeezed of excess water and crumbled 1 carrot, grated 1/2 onion, chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, minced handful of parsley, chopped 1/2 cup whole grain vegan breadcrumbs (I use a little more to hold the patty together) 2 T flour 1/4 tsp liquid smoke 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp all purpose seasoning (like Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute) 1/2 tsp each of garlic and onion powder (you may add less if you like) 1/2 tsp paprika salt and pepper to taste

Mash beans in a bowl and add the crumbled tofu. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. I like to use a blender/masher or fork to help chop and smoosh the mixture which will make it form into patties easier. You may have a taste in order to adjust seasonings.

Refrigerate mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Shape into patties and place on oiled baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway at 400 degrees F or until browned and crispy. (I actually fry mine in olive oil), Serve on a bun w/ caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, sprouts and sauce below:

Thousand Island Burger Sauce With A Kick

1/2 cup vegan mayo 2-3 T ketchup 1 T chopped dill pickle or relish a squirt of lemon juice 1/4 tsp all purpose seasoning blend salt and pepper to taste 5-6 drops of hot sauce

Combine all ingredients and chill. Is great on the tofu burger and with seasoned fries.

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I made mine a little differently. I placed my ingredients in my food processor and sort of pureed them. This meant I had to add more dry ingredients so I increased the flour by 1/4 cup and the breadcrumbs by 1 cup.

I really loved the way these tasted and can totally see them as "meatballs" in a pasta recipe! I will definitely make these again. And soon!

Now, for those of you wondering how I can have breadcrumbs since I can't have yeast I'll let you in on a little secret; I cheat.

Every once in a while (less often than I like, to be honest) I get to a Whole Foods and buy their sourdough bread. (It's amazing and light and not the least bit sour. I don't understand how this is but I don't argue!) When I slice it I don't like the ends as they're too thick for sandwiches or the toaster. Because of this I specifically leave the ends extra thick and throw them in the freezer. Then, I forget about them until I throw more into the freezer. Then I forget about them again and again until, eventually, I need breadcrumbs and I lament about not being able to have yeast. This happens for about 20 minutes before it finally dawns on me that I actually have yeast-free bread that I can use to make my own breadcrumbs! Yeah, sometimes I can be pretty slow. Don't ask. We don't like to talk about it.

I take the bread ends out of the freezer, let them defrost and then stick them into my food processor. (I find it's a lot easier to cut the thawed bread into golf-ball-sized pieces and use the "pulse" button on my machine. It cuts down a lot of the frustration and it makes the whole process take a lot less time.)

I then bag them in one cup portions (most recipes seem to call for this amount, why is that?), label the bags and store them in the freezer.

So, this week the landscaper is back (mid-week) and I can't wait. The closer we get to the finished product the more antsy I get to see it, use it, adore it.

I'm also getting a couple of little health nigglings sorted out in the next few weeks and working on my nutrition as I work on a vegetarian/vegan way of eating. (It's becoming more and more difficult as I'm having difficulties digesting beans without intense gas/wind and associated pain. Considering I'm allergic to lentils and don't want to over-do soy... I'm running out of ideas for proteins *frown*)

That's a savory recipe shared and the infamous vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe is on its way (hopefully this week) - so what would you like to see me make next?

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

A week or so ago I envisaged gorgeous Carrot Cake Cupcakes so vividly that I dreamt about them. Twice. This meant I had to buy fresh carrots, of course, because summer is coming to an end and my favourite season is upon us.

Autumn.



Blissfully cool, sunny days. Chilly, clear nights. The smell of leaves, wood fires, cinnamon, pumpkin, maple syrup... Delicious.



I'm already jonesing for Pumpkin Pie, Mashes Potatoes with Gravy and a host of traditional Autumn/Thanksgiving treats that I can now no longer have. What a bummer. It doesn't take away my love for the season, though, because my taste buds aren't my only sense that is so gloriously engaged this time of year.



I can hear the kids giggling on the way to school in the mornings, I long for the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet, the sun caressing my face as the cool breeze ruffles my hair and am relaxed in the knowledge that it won't be long before they're here... bliss.



My "fresh" carrots weren't so and decided that they'd support their own little colonies (several of them) before their expiration date so they were sacrificed to the bin (cannot compost mouldy food!) and I felt quite disappointed.



What to do?? How on earth would I be able to cope without spicy cupcakes now that I'd so clearly been sent a sign that I needed them??

I couldn't. It's that simple. I had to have my fix! So I did a little deductive reasoning, a little chemistry, a little experimentation, a little praying, a little mixing, a little baking and a little sharing and what emerged is a tender little cupcake with wonderful textures. The sugar crystalises on the top, the fruit stays soft and moist, the cake fluffy and spicy. So, I now introduce (with full Mrs B bakes Taste-Tester approval, of course)...

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

(makes 12)

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain/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

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup soy yogurt (I used vanilla, if using plain; you might want to add a little more sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 coarsely grated apples (I used Granny Smith and the tanginess of the apples worked really well in this recipe. If using additional options below, reduce apple to 1 1/2 coarsely grated cups)

Optional: (If adding these options, reduce apple to 1 1/2 cups, coarsely grated apple)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 175° C (350° F) and line cupcake pan with liners.

In a bowl mix together sugar, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices) into the same bowl and mix until no lumps remain. Stir in grated apple. (If using; also fold in walnuts and raisins.)

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted through the centre of one comes out clean. Try to choose a cupcake in the centre of your oven or in a known "cool spot".)

Remove from oven and place on rack and allow to cool completely. Frost generously with Vegan Cream Cheese frosting and voilà!

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened

1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners'/powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together margarine and cream cheese until just blended (don't over mix). Using a hand-held mixer; whip margarine mix while adding the sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly. Keep tightly covered in the fridge until ready to use. (Handy hint: put frosting in a bowl and use plastic wrap to cover the frosting inside the bowl so that there's no space or air between the frosting and the plastic wrap. This will keep it from drying out and becoming crusty.

Now, what shall I make next, any suggestions?

Added to the list of baddies...

As you probably know I am allergic/intolerant/sensitive to a plethora of foods which makes an "alternative" diet a bit tricky. IN an effort to streamline my life and make final decisions about what I can and cannot, will and will not eat; I dragged myself back to the allergy specialist for more testing on some foods I've been avoiding largely based on fear, cloudy childhood memories and a lack of willingness to test some of these foods and "fail" by having a potentially severe reaction.

I bought 7 tonnes of food, most of it dried, and brought the specialist The Sadist little sample bits of my fears.

After pricking my arms twelve times it was diagnosed that I am, indeed, severely allergic to some of the foods I was scared about. These are the culprits...

"Puy Style" Dark Speckled Green Lentils

Red Split Lentils

Brown Lentils

Green Lentils

Shall we just say .... all lentils? Grr, so frustrating.

On the other hand, we've learned that I'm -not- allergic to chickpeas, pine nuts, flax seeds, mung beans, aduki beans or millet!

(Sorry for the mush but the dried foods weren't conducive for testing as we couldn't guarantee that any of the allergen entered my skin. The mush ensured that it would.)

That's -fantastic- news but I must admit that some of those (along with the list of nuts OK'd at my last visit) I'm still afraid to eat because I've spent a lifetime avoiding them and thusly have almost brainwashed myself a bit. I -will- try them, I just need some time to convince myself that to do so will be OK ;)

**DISCLAIMER** I'd like to take a moment here to make this important PSA... Just because someone has a "negative" skin prick result (meaning that your skin isn't allergic to the allergen introduced) doesn't mean that you won't have something like OAS when you eat it. Consider yourselves warned/reminded.

I've been a busy little beaver doing all sorts of "chores" today... laundry, dishes, cooking two meals, assembling

and baking cookies!

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Vegan Zucchini/Courgette Cookies

Stir together in a bowl:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup grated zucchini/courgette (I think I'll add a bit more next time)

1/2 cup canola/rapeseed oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together in another sized bowl:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

(Optional:

3/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup raisins)

Preheat the oven to 350 F (150 C). Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. (Stir in the nuts and raisins.)

Drop spoonfuls of dough on parchment-/baking paper- lined baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove cookies and place on wire rack to cool.

Mine, pictured above, probably look a little darker than you'd prefer in a cookie. That's because I actually set my oven hotter (by about 50 degrees C) than I should. They still taste good (they're not burned) but I will make sure I check the required temperature versus the actual temperature of my oven next time!

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After my adventures today I've declared the rest of the evening for knitting *grin*

Beans, beans, the magical fruit*...

Cooking is one of the skills I possess that I actually have some confidence in. So, when I utterly messed up making Boston Baked Beans the first time I was at once angry, embarrassed and annoyed. I knew I must make amends. Here's the long anticipated "Boston Baked Beans, the Redux". (OK, I'm probably the only one who's anticipated this for a long time but let's face it: the first run was such a stunning disaster that I've been itching to redeem myself in the baked bean world.)

I now proudly present to you.... Home-made vegan Boston/New England style Baked Beans!

Don't they look a LOT better than the previous attempt?!

I think so, too! And I can honestly tell you that the first attempt was utterly inedible so to say that these little beauties taste "better" is, quite honestly, a severe understatement.

These beans are just the right amount of smoke flavour (without the bacon/pork), molasses and mustard to set my little New England heart a flutter. (Even MrB thinks they're good and he didn't grow up with these in his staple diet.)

Without further ado I present...

Vegan New England-style Baked Beans

Serves approximately 16 (portions can be frozen. I halved the recipe for my use)

2 pounds white beans (northern or navy beans - I used Haricot)

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dry mustard or 5 teaspoons prepared mustard (I used 1 tablespoon of yellow "American" mustard)

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup brown sugar (optional, if you like your beans sweet)

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 teaspoons liquid smoke

For both preparation methods:

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of tap water (make sure you soak in at least four times more water by volume than beans). If you don't have the time or patience to soak your beans overnight you can bring the beans to a boil on the stove, cover and allow to sit for about two hours. This will reduce the cooking time significantly but it is still a crucial part of the preparation.

If you opted to soak your beans you must now boil your beans for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Drain off any soaking/cooking water.

Crock-pot method: Mix all ingredients in your crock-pot and add the beans. Cover with at least enough

hot water to cover the beans completely. (This is what the recipe I used said to do so I didn't measure the water. I also then had to add more water later in the cooking process. If you do this, make sure you use freshly boiled water or else it will lower the cooking temperature of your crock-pot and add significantly to the overall cooking time. When I make these again, I will add enough water to cover the beans and so that the water level is half-again as high. Or I'll chicken out, add the amount at the beginning and just check about half way through the cooking like I did last time.)

Put the lid on the Crock Pot after you’ve mixed everything up in it, and cook it on High for about 3 or 4 hours, or on Low for 8 to 10 hours (when it comes to crock-pot cooking I'm all about Low and Slow). I positioned a folded dish towel on top of the lid of the crock-pot to help keep the heat in while the beans were cooking to ensure they would, indeed, cook. The dish towel helps maintain a temperature hot enough to just barely simmer the beans.)

If you don't want to cook your beans in a crock-pot you can use this method...

Oven method:

In a very large casserole (4 quart) mix the beans with all of the above ingredients. Add enough hot water to barely come to the top of the beans. Put a lid on the casserole, or tin foil. Bake the beans at 300°F (

150°C)

for about 5 to 7 hours.

The cooked beans may be frozen in 2-cup portions to substitute for canned baked beans or canned pork’n'beans in any recipe. They make a good main dish, or a side dish for a large crowd.

*If you grew up in North America, as I did, chances are you're aware of the little ditty that I borrowed today's post title from. If not; I'm sorry to have introduced you to such immaturity. In any event; feel free to remind me that I have the brain of a seven year old, though I must confess that I am well aware of this fact. *grin*