okara blueberry-corn muffins

I like this blueberry muffin recipe much more than its predecessor. It has a much better texture, and I like that it's sweetened with maple syrup, which gives it a subtler sweetness.



In a bowl, mix together
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup corn meal
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together
8 oz. okara (approximately 1 cup)
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup soy milk
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
until oil has been emulsified.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine until "just mixed." Then fold in
1 cup blueberries

Fill the cups of a lightly oiled 12-muffin tin with the batter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-27 minutes. Allow muffins to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from tin.

raspberry okara muffins

In a bowl, mix together
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together
8 oz. okara
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup soy milk
2 tsp. vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
2 tsp. vanilla
until oil has been emulsified.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine until "just mixed." Then fold in
6 oz. raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Fill the cups of a lightly oiled 12-muffin tin with the batter. You should have enough batter to fill each cup all the way to the top. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 28-30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from tin.



Verdict: I loved these. I like that they were sweetened with maple syrup, which is a bit more understated than cane sugar. I think I could have added more raspberries, or, if I were really nuts, I could have thrown in some chocolate chips for a dessert muffin.

chocolate peanut butter brownies

One reason I haven't been updating as often as I should is because I can't stop making these brownies. I've even made a 9"x13" version and a chocolate-raspberry version. So ... here's a peanut-butter version!



In a small bowl or cup, whisk together
1/4 cup unsalted peanut butter
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
until mixture is smooth. Set aside.



In a bowl, thoroughly mix
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat 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 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 chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and stir together until incorporated. Scrape batter into a lightly oiled 8"x8" pan (I used a Pyrex pan). Then drop dollops of the peanut butter mixture on top of the chocolate batter.



Using a knife, cut through the peanut butter and chocolate batter to create a "marbling" effect.



Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 32 minutes. Allow to cool.

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!



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.