December 9, 2011

brownie tart

This is a slight tweaking of the delicious chocolate-coconut brownie tart I came up with last month. I made it with hazelnut milk instead of coconut milk and changed a few other things as well. Still delicious!

brownie tart

to make the brownie layer:

Over the stove top, on low heat, stir together
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup okara
1 tsp. vanilla

until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix together
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt


Add the chocolate mixture to the dry mixture and stir until well combined.

Mist a 9-inch spring-form pan with
vegetable spray
and pour the batter inside. Spread evenly and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 19-21 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow brownie layer to cool while you work on the next steps.

to make the custardy layer:

In a saucepan, whisk together
1 cup hazelnut milk
1 1/4 tsp. agar powder (not flakes)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder


Place saucepan on stove top and stir over medium heat until the mixture starts to boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, make a slurry of
1/4 cup hazelnut milk
1 tsp. arrowroot powder


Whisk together until smooth.

Add the slurry to the hazelnut milk mixture over the stove top, and stir into the mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and bubbles.

Then add
3 1/2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) chocolate chips
and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

In a food processor or a large, powerful blender, puree
12.3 ounces silken tofu
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 Tablespoon barley malt syrup
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla

until all tofu has been liquefied.

Add the contents of the saucepan to the food processor or blender, and puree contents until totally combined. You will probably have to scrape down the sides with a spatula a few times.

When it's all mixed, pour the contents of the food processor or blender into the spring-form pan, over the brownie layer.

Optional topping:

Chop up
1/4 cup chocolate chips
and sprinkle over the top of the tart.


Place the pan into the refrigerator to set. Allow it to chill for at least an hour. When ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the edges of the spring-form pan before releasing the cuff.

Verdict: The reason I used hazelnut milk is because I love the way it tastes with chocolate. However, the hazelnut flavor really wasn't discernible here, leading me to believe you could use any plant-based milk and achieve similar results. Almond might be a good choice as well!

But all in all, delicious.

November 28, 2011

yam-kale soup with chorizo garnish

This delicious soup was inspired by the potato-kale soup in Terry Hope Romero's Viva Vegan! Romero provides a recipe for homemade vegan chorizo in her fantastic cookbook, but I just used the store-bought stuff. If you don't want to buy or make vegan chorizo, you could eat this soup without it, but seriously ... it's the chorizo that really knocks it out of the park.

Also, when I made this soup I completely forgot to put the onions in at the beginning, and ended up sauteeing them separately later. Since it came out so great, I'm going to pretend that's what made all the difference, and that mistake has been preserved in the directions below. But I'm sure you could just throw the onions in with the rest of the veggies and pour in a couple of Tablespoons of olive oil ...

yam-kale soup

Peel a
large yam (about 19 ounces)
and cut it into small bite-size pieces along with a
small Yukon gold potato (about 8 ounces)

Throw the yam and potato chunks into a large pot, along with
6 cloves of coarsely chopped garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water

and bring to a boil over high heat, covered. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the yams and potatoes are very soft.

yam-kale soup

Remove
2 cups of the cooked vegetables in cooking liquid
from the pot and puree in a blender or food processor along with
5 ounces okara

Once pureed, return to the soup pot. If desired, you can mash the remaining yams and potatoes with a potato masher or other mashing implement.

Saute
a medium-sized white onion, finely chopped
in
2 Tablespoons olive oil
for 5 to 10 minutes, until onions are translucent but not browned. Add them to the soup pot along with
5 ounces kale (stems removed and chopped into small pieces)
1 Tablespoon white wine

and increase the heat to medium. Stir until the kale is wilted.

NB: This should have only taken maybe 5 minutes, but because I used prepackaged kale from Trader Joe's, I had to cook this for about 15 minutes. Why? Because the TJ's kale didn't have the thick stems removed, so it had to be cooked for a lot longer! In the end this wasn't a problem, so if you don't want to remove the stems I guess you don't have to -- just be prepared to cook it longer, until the stems are nice and soft.

When the kale is wilted, add
1 1/2 tsp. salt
ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp. white vinegar

and stir seasonings into the soup. Turn off heat and let the soup rest while you lightly saute the chorizo.

There really aren't instructions for the chorizo -- I just sauteed some store-bought vegan chorizo in some olive oil for a few minutes, being careful not to burn it. How much chorizo you garnish your soup with depends on your tolerance for heat and your own personal tastes. I probably used about a Tablespoon of chorizo per cup of soup.

Ladle soup into a bowl, garnish with desired amount of chorizo, stir chorizo into the soup, enjoy!

Verdict: This is one of my new favorite soups. I love the combination of yams, potatoes, and chorizo, and love finding ways to sneak kale into my food (not to mention okara).

November 26, 2011

chocolate-coconut brownie tart

chocolate brownie tart

This recipe includes two things I despise, namely thickeners and chopping chocolate chips. I hate dealing with thickeners, whether it's corn starch or kudzu. In this case, it's arrowroot powder and agar powder. I have no confidence when it comes to thickening a liquid over the stove top; it never seems like it's working and it just gives me anxiety.

As for chopping chocolate chips, that's got to be one of the stupidest things ever. Is there a trick to it that I just don't know about? I've tried using a blender and a spice grinder, to no avail. Perhaps it would be easier to chop a chocolate bar -- at least a bar wouldn't be rolling around under your knife, making it nigh-impossible to get some quality chopping in.

I think the annoyances were worth it, though.

chocolate brownie tart

to make the brownie layer:

Over the stove top, on low heat, stir together
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup okara
1 tsp. vanilla

until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix together
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt


NB: I'm sure you could substitute regular flour for the soy flour. The reason I threw it in is because I have a big bag of it that I'm trying to get rid of!

Add the chocolate mixture to the dry mixture and stir until well combined.

Mist a 9-inch spring-form pan with
vegetable spray
and pour the batter inside. Spread evenly and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-21 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

chocolate brownie tart

Allow brownie layer to cool while you work on the next steps.

to make the custardy layer:

In a saucepan, whisk together
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. agar powder (not flakes)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder


Place saucepan on stove top and stir over medium heat until the mixture starts to boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, make a slurry of
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. arrowroot powder


Whisk together until smooth.

chocolate brownie tart

Add the slurry to the coconut milk mixture over the stove top, and stir into the mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and bubbles.

chocolate brownie tart

Then add
1/4 cup chocolate chips
and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

In a food processor or a large, powerful blender, puree
12 ounces silken tofu
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla

until all tofu has been liquefied.

chocolate brownie tart

Add the contents of the saucepan to the food processor or blender, and puree contents until totally combined. You will probably have to scrape down the sides with a spatula a few times.

chocolate brownie tart

When it's all mixed, pour the contents of the food processor or blender into the spring-form pan, over the brownie layer. Place the pan into the refrigerator to set while you chop up
1/4 cup chocolate chips

chocolate brownie tart

Remove tart from fridge, sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the top of the tart, and return the tart to the fridge.

chocolate brownie tart

Allow it to chill for at least an hour. When ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the edges of the spring-form pan before releasing the cuff.

Verdict: I think this is great. The coconut flavor wasn't too strong for my tastes; it also might be interesting to experiment with almond milk or hazelnut milk in place of coconut milk. The custardy layer might have benefited from another 1/4 cup of melted chocolate, but when eaten with the brownie layer, it's just fine.

The brownie layer was a bit on the crumbly side, which might have been due to the inclusion of soy flour. (In the past I've noticed that soy flour seems to make baked goods a little crumbly.) Might be wise to use all whole-wheat pastry flour rather than a combination of wheat and soy flours.

November 7, 2011

oatmeal-okara cookies

These oatmeal cookies are based on last month's delicious pumpkin cookies, only lacking the pumpkin and spices. Makes about 33 cookies.

oatmeal okara cookies

In a bowl, thoroughly combine
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oats (quick-cooking)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup chocolate chips


In a second bowl, whisk
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup okara
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/2 tsp. vanilla

until thoroughly emulsified.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until they are thoroughly incorporated. Drop by the Tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet that has been lightly misted with vegetable spray. They don't spread out too much; I liked them best when I didn't flatten them out and instead let them stay in little rounded domes.

oatmeal okara cookies

Bake for 14-15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

October 31, 2011

pumpkin cookies (with optional chocolate chips!)

These pumpkin cookies are delicious on their own, but I really love the addition of chocolate chips. This recipe makes about 45 cookies.

chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

In a bowl, thoroughly combine
1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup oats (quick-cooking)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)


In a second bowl, whisk
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup okara
1 Tablespoon molasses
1 tsp. vanilla

until thoroughly emulsified.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until they are thoroughly incorporated. The dough will be quite stiff. Drop by the Tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet that has been lightly misted with vegetable spray. They don't spread out too much; I liked them best when I didn't flatten them out and instead let them stay in little rounded domes.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

October 30, 2011

okara pumpkin muffins

pumpkin okara muffins

In a bowl, thoroughly combine
1 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt


NB: I'm sure you could substitute regular flour for the soy flour. The reason I threw it in is because I have a big bag of it that I'm trying to get rid of!

In a separate bowl, combine
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup okara
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup soymilk
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons molasses

and whisk vigorously until well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Fold in
1 cup chopped walnuts

Distribute batter evenly between the wells of a lightly oiled 12-muffin pan, filling the wells completely (there's a lot of batter!). Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from tins.

pumpkin okara muffins

Verdict: These are great! There is way too much maple syrup though. Next time, I'll try making it with 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup, rather than with 1/4 cup.

October 22, 2011

chocolate-beet muffins

I had leftover beets, and the obvious choice was to sneak them into some chocolate muffins. This recipe is based on this chocolate-banana muffin recipe, so if you're wary of getting beets in your chocolate I highly recommend trying that one instead! (Or in addition to.)

I'm not sure whether to classify this as a dessert or not. It has a great flavor but really isn't very sweet. Next time I make it I'll add more sugar and maybe even play with some spices, but I think this is a nice recipe as is, and might be especially appealing to people who don't like super-sweet desserts or snacks.

chocolate-beet muffins

In a bowl, mix together
1 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

and stir until well combined.

NB: I'm sure you could use all whole-wheat pastry flour instead of a combination of that and spelt flour. The reason I threw in some spelt flour is because I happened to have 1/4 cup of it to use up!

chocolate-beet muffins

In a blender or food processor, mix until completely pureed:
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup okara
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. cooked, peeled beets
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted


chocolate-beet muffins

Add chocolate-beet mixture to dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. Distribute batter evenly between the wells of a lightly oiled 12-muffin pan. The wells will be pretty full!

chocolate-beet muffins

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 23 minutes. Allow to cool for at least a few minutes before removing from pan.

chocolate-beet muffins

September 6, 2011

potato lima-bean soup



Place
3 1/2 cups cooked white lima beans
1/2 cup okara
2 cups vegetable broth

in a blender and puree completely. You might need to do this in two batches, depending on how powerful your blender is. Set the bean puree aside.

Heat
2 Tablespoons olive oil
in a pot over medium heat. Add
1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato (about 10 oz.), finely cubed (about centimeter cubed)

to the oil and saute until vegetables are covered with oil. Cover the pot and allow to cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to ensure the vegetables don't burn.

After 15 minutes, add
1/2 cup soymilk
and stir. Cover pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes, continuing to stir often to avert burning. Then add
2 Tablespoons white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
black pepper, to taste

to the vegetables and stir until they are coated with the mixture. Add another
1/2 cup soymilk
and stir until the mixture thickens a bit. Then add
the pureed lima beans
to the pot and stir until ingredients are well incorporated. Heat through, stirring occasionally, until it is hot enough to serve.

Verdict: I liked this a lot, except some of the carrots and potatoes were a bit undercooked. I blame myself -- I didn't chop these vegetables into uniformly small pieces as I should have. Chalk that one up to laziness. Maybe I could have shredded them in the food processor -- then they'd be in even smaller pieces! Learn from my mistake, and be sure to chop these veggies up into very small pieces. Or, if you want to add an extra step, you can precook them in boiling water until they have softened.

July 20, 2011

chocolate poundcake, version II

I came up with a chocolate poundcake last year, but now that strawberries are in season again I wanted to see if I could improve on it. This is less crumbly and is, I believe, an improvement.

okara poundcake

In a bowl, stir together
1 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

and mix until thoroughly combined.

In a small pot over low heat, mix together
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup okara
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup soy milk

and stir until chocolate is completely melted and ingredients are well incorporated. Remove from heat and whisk in
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon white rice vinegar


Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated. Immediately pour batter into an oiled 9"x5" bread pan and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool for about 20 minutes.

NB: As you probably know, vinegar has a chemical reaction with baking soda to produce gas, which gets trapped in the batter as air bubbles. This is why it's essential to get the cake in the oven right away, before the batter goes flat.

okara poundcake

Run knife around edges of cake and invert onto a cutting board.

okara poundcake

Cut off a slice and garnish as desired. Fresh fruit, chocolate syrup, (nondairy) ice cream, whatever strikes your fancy!

okara poundcake

Verdict: I liked this a lot, although it could stand to be more chocolately. Next time I might try decreasing the sugar and increasing the semi-sweet chocolate. I might also try apple cider vinegar instead of white rice vinegar. But all in all, it held together quite nicely and was an excellent accompaniment to the delicious strawberries that are currently in season.

May 17, 2011

isoflavones in okara

You’ve probably heard a lot of hype about soy foods and their alleged ability to reduce risk for cancer or treat menopausal symptoms. You might also have noticed an anti-soy sentiment running through certain corners of the Internet, including claims that the plant estrogens (or phytoestrogens) in soy can have an influence on one’s hormone levels. However, when it comes to the powers of soy – whether these powers are healing or harming – there is currently no scientific consensus. Based on the scientific studies I have read, it seems that soy is probably not the magic tonic some make it out to be; nor does it seem likely to make your endocrine system go haywire. The reason I eat it is because it’s versatile and packed with protein.

Soybeans are a major source of a type of plant estrogen known as isoflavones. Of foods commonly eaten by humans, soy has the highest isoflavone content. According to the USDA, okara has a mean of 9 mg of isoflavones per 100 grams:


To give perspective, for every 100 grams of a particular item, textured soy flour (aka TVP) contains a mean of 172.6 mg isoflavones; edamame contains a mean of 48.9 mg; silken tofu contains a mean of 18 mg; and legumes such as lentils and navy beans contain less than a milligram of isoflavones. Among the nuts listed, raw pistachios have the highest isoflavone levels, with a mean of 3.63 mg for every 100 grams.

There are 12 isomers of isoflavones, including genistein and daidzein. On a molecular level, their chemical makeup resembles that of the human hormone estrogen and can bind to estrogen receptors, although according to Hooper et al. their binding affinity is much lower than that of the estrogens made by one’s own body. Some experiments have shown isoflavones to have estrogenic effects under certain conditions, which raises the question: Can soy have special physiological effects on humans (either adverse or beneficial)? (Messina, access required)

Isoflavones from soybeans are sometimes said to have “feminizing” effects on men, as well as effects on their fertility. According to Hamilton-Reeves et al. (2007), while quite a bit of research has been done into the effects of soy consumption on hormone levels in human subjects, the results of these studies have been inconsistent, but the majority have not found significant changes in levels of steroid sex hormones.

A 2009 systematic review and meta-analysis found that soy consumption by premenopausal females did not affect concentrations of estradiol, estrone, or sex-hormone binding globulin, but did seem to reduce follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, and increase the length of menstrual cycles (by an average of just over one day). It was unclear if these changes indicated an estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effect. However, all studies under review were considered at risk for bias. When the numbers were crunched in another way, it appeared that soy’s seeming effect on follicle stimulating hormone was still significant, but effects on luteinizing hormone and menstrual cycle length were no longer significant. In post-menopausal females, soy consumption did not seem to have any effect on any of these hormones; in peri-menopausal females, much less research had been done but there also did not seem to be significant effects on hormone levels (Hooper).

Because of the extremely tentative nature of these findings and several reminders from the authors about the preponderance of studies at risk for bias, even a robust analysis such as this one should be taken with a grain of salt. (And people who don’t produce follicle stimulating hormone or luteinizing hormone probably don’t have to be concerned either way about these particular results.)

A 2009 meta-analysis (access required) examined whether isoflavone consumption by male subjects had estrogenic properties by determining if intake correlated with testosterone levels, sex-hormone binding globulin levels, or free androgen index. After crunching the numbers a couple of different ways, no correlation could be found.

A 2010 review of the literature finds that soy isoflavones (as supplements or in soy foods) have no impact on testosterone or estrogen levels in humans. There also does not seem to be effects on sperm, though studies into this question have been short-term; likewise, claims that isoflavones can cause erectile dysfunction seem to be based on methodologically flawed animal studies. Finally, despite reports that soy can adversely affect the thyroid, there is “essentially no evidence” that this is true, at least in healthy subjects (Messina, access required).

Some early documentation of fertility problems were in non-human animals such as sheep and monkeys. One problem inherent in animal studies is that what is true for one mammal might not be true for humans; for instance, there is variation between species in how isoflavones are metabolized and the type of response they induce. Infant marmoset monkeys given soy formula, for example, converted daidzein into equol (which can be 100 times as potent and might affect testosterone levels); however, human babies probably do not metabolize isoflavones into equol (adults might, but only if their intestines are colonized with the appropriate bacteria). Additionally, rodent studies focused on administering purified daidzein, rather than soy foods or products with the full complement of isoflavones (Messina, access required).

One problem in determining the effect isoflavone consumption has on human subjects is that metabolism of soy varies from individual to individual. A person’s genetics can influence what isoflavones and metabolites thereof circulate in the bloodstream after digestion. Furthermore, the type of bacteria that colonize a subject’s intestine determine whether or not daidzein is converted to the more biologically active metabolite equol (Hamilton-Reeves 2009, access required).

According to Hamilton-Reeves (2009), only 25 to 35 percent of Westerners have such bacteria; according to Messina, 50 percent of Asians have these bacteria. The “equol hypothesis” holds that isoflavones have different effects on people whose gut flora are able to produce equol (Hamilton-Reeves 2009).

The Internet is rife with frightening statements about soy, and despite the fact that they often arise from sources of dubious credibility, the sheer number of such claims creates a thundering chorus. Although you can find plenty of anti-soy fear-mongering on the Internet, perusing the peer-reviewed literature on soy makes me skeptical that it has many of the powers attributed to it by its proponents or detractors.

Patisaul and Jefferson sum it up best when they say, “alarm over soy products is likely unnecessary but so is the belief that a soy-rich diet will alleviate all ills.” Non-allergic people should be able to eat soy safely. If someone is truly concerned about the effects soy might have on hormone levels, he or she might want to follow the precautionary principle and limit especially dense sources of isoflavones in the diet, but the occasional burst of concentrated isoflavones seems unlikely to have a chronic effect on one’s hormone levels.

March 7, 2011

pasta e fagioli

How do you say "and chard too" in Italian? Because this pasta-and-bean soup also has chard. It was growing in my yard, begging to be eaten, so I threw it in. You could probably omit the chard and be fine. You could probably also substitute spinach or kale and be fine.

pasta e fagioli

Soak
1 cup dry navy beans
overnight. Drain and rinse. Then return it to a pot and add
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic (whole)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp dried sage

and bring to a boil.

pasta e fagioli

Cover the beans, reduce the heat, and simmer for 90 minutes, until beans are soft. (While you are waiting, you'll probably want to clean and cut the chard and other vegetables; instructions below.) Remove from heat and remove the bay leaves. Do not drain. Place the contents of the pot -- beans, water, garlic, and all -- into a blender or food processor, along with
5 oz. okara
1 cup water

and liquefy.

navy beans and okara

NB: If the bean mixture is too thick for your blender or food processor to handle, you can thin it out with some of the 4 cups of water that are called for in a later step.

bean puree

Wash
5-6 oz. chard
and remove the stems. Set the stems aside. Chop the chard finely.

chard
chard stems

In a large pot over medium heat saute
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced

in
2 Tablespoons olive oil
and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
chard stems, sliced

and saute for five minutes, until soft.

veggies

Add
4 cups water
bean puree from blender or food processor
2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
the chopped chard

and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. (While you are waiting, you can cook the pasta; instructions below.)

Add
1 tsp. dried rosemary
and
salt and pepper
to taste. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

pasta e fagioli

Cook
1 1/2 cups small pasta (e.g., macaroni, fusilli)
according to the directions given on the package. Drain pasta and set aside.

NB: This is a great opportunity to try whole-wheat pasta, if you're curious but have been afraid.

When the soup is done, stir in the cooked pasta and serve.

Verdict: I absolutely love this. You could probably experiment with adding more okara, if you wanted to. I played it a little safe and only added 5 ounces, which is a little more than half a cup.

February 27, 2011

chocolate-raspberry brownies

This is a delicious variation on this brownie recipe.

chocolate-raspberry brownie

In a bowl, thoroughly mix
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt


On a stove top over low heat, mix together
1 cup sugar
4 oz. okara
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup raspberry preserves (seedless if desired)
1/4 cup almond milk or soy milk

and stir until chocolate is completely melted and ingredients are incorporated. Be careful not to let the chocolate burn. Remove from heat, and add
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla

and whisk together until oil is emulsified.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together until incorporated.

Scrape batter into a lightly oiled 8"x8" pan (I used a Pyrex pan) and cook at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Allow to cool.

February 15, 2011

butternut squash baked ziti

butternut squash baked ziti

Prepare
1/2 lb. uncooked ziti or penne
according to the package's directions. Drain and set aside.

whole wheat pasta
I'm giving whole-wheat pasta another try! Thus far I have only liked whole-wheat lasagna noodles, but other whole-wheat pasta products have not impressed me.

Also cook
2 1/4 cups cubed butternut squash (1/4" cubes)
I used a rice cooker to steam them for about 15 minutes. Make sure they are soft, then set aside.

butternut squash, cubed

In a food processor, pulse together
2 oz. cashews
5 oz. okara

a few times, until well incorporated.

okara and cashews

To the food processor, add
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

and puree.

okara mixture

Now add the cooked butternut squash to the food processor and puree into the mix.

butternut squash

In a large bowl, combine the cooked ziti with the butternut squash mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.

butternut squash pasta

Spread the ziti-squash mixture evenly into an 8"x8" pan.

butternut squash baked ziti

In a small bowl, combine
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup ground walnuts

and stir until mixed. Evenly distribute breadcrumb mixture onto surface of ziti.

butternut squash baked ziti

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, removing the foil after 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Verdict: I was nervous, but actually quite enjoyed this. I think I would have liked it even better if the squash-to-pasta ratio had been a skosh higher ... And I probably would have liked it better with refined pasta, too, but the whole-wheat pasta was not bad. I probably should have mixed some olive oil in with the bread crumb mixture for extra cohesion, but for some reason I was trying to minimize fats in this recipe.

weird healthy brownies

I can't stop making brownies. What sets this one apart is its slightly weird ingredients.

weird healthy brownies

In a bowl, mix together
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup cooked black beans
2-3 oz. ripe banana (about one half of a banana)
5 oz. okara
3 Tablespoons canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup soymilk


weird healthy brownies

Scrape pureed cocoa-okara mixture into a saucepan and, over low heat, add
3/4 cup chocolate chips
and stir constantly until chocolate chips have melted into the mixture.

weird healthy browniesweird healthy brownies

Add the cocoa-okara-chocolate mixture to the bowl with flour. Mix until well incorporated. If desired, fold in
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

weird healthy brownies

Transfer batter to a lightly oiled 8"x8" pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Let cool.

Verdict: Not my favorite brownie recipe, but not my least favorite either. I like that it has the sweetness of banana without being overpowered by it. I'm also pretty sure that no one would ever suspect there were black beans in here, especially since I was able to liquefy them so utterly in my fancy blender.