apple cobbler

Peel
5 Granny Smith apples
and then slice them as thinly as you can manage, removing the cores as well.

Over low heat in a medium-sized pot, melt
3 Tablespoons vegan margarine
1 tsp. minced ginger
Sautee the ginger for a couple of minutes, making sure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. (Though if it does, don't sweat it.) Then add the sliced apples, cover the pot, and cook for five minutes. Then add
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
and stir apples, ensuring that they are thoroughly coated with the spice mixture. Return lid to the pot, and cook for another 10 minutes.



As the apples cook, prepare the batter.

In a bowl, whisk together
1 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

In a separate bowl, whisk together
1/2 cup okara
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined.

Put one cup of batter on the bottom of a lightly oiled 8x8-inch pan. Spread evenly.



Evenly distribute the apples on top of the batter.



Evenly distribute the remainder of the batter on top of the layer of apples.



If desired, sprinkle the top of the unbaked cobbler with sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

okara brownie waffles

I wanted brownies, but I also wanted waffles. I struck a compromise and formulated a recipe for brownie waffles, with okara acting as a secret ingredient, natch. I was very happy with the way these tasted -- maybe they weren't quite sweet enough, but that's what maple syrup is for, I suppose. The only problem with them was that they were quite "floppy" and difficult to remove from my waffle iron. I use a Belgian waffle iron (worth every penny, but I did have a 20% off coupon, not to mention the fact that I live with someone who was able to fix it when it broke), and if I didn't spray oil on it before pouring in the batter, the resultant waffle would sometimes stick to the top and bottom of the iron when opening it. Waffle irons with more shallow pockets might not have this problem. Having said all this, I was able to have intact, albeit floppy, Belgian waffles; I just had to be very careful when removing them from the iron. Your mileage may vary. In the future I'll be trying to tweak the recipe to create a sturdier yet equally tasty chocolate waffle.

This recipe made four waffles with my waffle iron, but in a smaller (non-Belgian) waffle iron it could yield more than that.



In a bowl, combine
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon soy milk powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
and stir until well incorporated.

Note: Soy milk powder is the "secret ingredient" of my regular waffle recipe, and I swear it makes a huge difference. I haven't tested this recipe without the soy milk powder, so I can't say whether or not it's really worth using. If you don't have it already and don't want to buy it, you can probably just omit it and use soy milk instead of water. Or perhaps omit it entirely.

In a separate bowl, combine
1/3 cup okara
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
and whisk until oil is emulsified.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine until "just mixed." Then add
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips
and combine thoroughly.

Prepare waffles according to the manufacturer's directions.

beans-and-rice croquettes

Rice croquettes, bean croquettes, and now beans-and-rice croquettes. After this, I think my croquette phase will be over. Of the three, the rice croquettes were my favorite, but these were the most tenacious, and just might be able to withstand the pressures of a veggie burger's life. I think I will try eating the leftovers between two pieces of bread with all the sandwich fixings.

This recipe makes about six croquettes.



Put
3/4 cup cannellini beans
into a bowl and smash them up with a fork or potato masher. They don't need to be completely pureed; some chunks are fine.

Into the same bowl, add
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 small carrot, shredded (about 1.75 oz.)
1/2 cup sweet brown rice
1/4 cup okara
1 Tablespoon vital wheat gluten
2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds (shelled)
1 Tablespooon vegan Worcestershire sauce (check the label -- it should say it's vegan)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
and combine ingredients thoroughly.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out 1/4 cup of the mixture and form it into a thin patty (maybe 1/2 inch thick).

Heat some
olive oil
over medium heat in a pan. Enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan -- not so much that you're deep-frying the croquettes. Place the patties on the oil and cook for a few minutes, until that side is golden brown. Then flip them over and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown.



Remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel. Eat warm.

Verdict: The person who thought my last croquettes were "totally bland" thought these were great. I liked them too, although they were a skosh too salty for my tastes. I'm looking forward to seeing how they work out playing the role of a veggie burger. I think they might be even better with kidney beans or black beans, just because those beans seem to have a more distinctive flavor than cannellini beans.

okara-bean croquettes

While not as nice as the previously posted okara-rice croquettes, I think these okara-bean croquettes are nice in their own way. I do think they're sort of bland, which is rectified easily enough by a light application of salt. The person I live with, however, deems them to be "totally bland." Perhaps these could benefit from additional seasonings or a doubling of soy sauce. Perhaps this recipe isn't quite "there" yet, but I do think it's worth documenting.



This recipe should make about eight croquettes.

Put
1 cup cannellini beans
into a bowl and smash them up with a fork or potato masher. They don't need to be completely pureed; some chunks are fine.

Into the same bowl, add
1 red bell pepper, finely diced (about 3 oz.)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup okara
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds (shelled, of course)
1 Tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 Tablespoon rice flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
a few grinds black pepper
and combine ingredients thoroughly.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out 1/4 cup of the mixture and form it into a thin patty (maybe 1/2 inch thick).

Heat some
olive oil
over medium heat in a pan. Enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan -- not so much that you're deep-frying the croquettes. Place the patties on the oil and cook for a few minutes, until that side is golden brown. Then flip them over and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown.



Remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel. Eat warm.

Verdict: I'm not sure the vital wheat gluten and rice flour did anything that the whole wheat flour didn't already do; they might have been unnecessary additions. Also, I think the whole wheat flour might have contributed to the slight blandness, but it was necessary to dry the mixture out and hold it together. I think some tinkering could be done with the ratio of flour to the rest of the mixture; less flour might bring out the other flavors a little better.