Chile and Cilantro Cornbread!
It is a lovely green-ish color, spicy - but not overly so, and very more-ish. Having chili for dinner? have some cornbread!
What a tease!
Gluten Free and Vegan! xgfx or however you write it properly in shorthand.
These are a little delicate, be warned! You’ll need to treat them with care, especially with removing them from the waffle iron, see below. If you are careful they will hold up well to your maple syrup, freeze and reheat well, and basically act like other waffles.
When cooking these, I have been a little more generous with the batter than with other waffles and spread the batter in the iron as this doesn’t seem to do it by itself as well as other batters. I found for my waffle iron heat number 5 (out of 6) worked best for perfect waffles, and that using a decent amount of non stick spray helped with removal.
When removing from the iron, allow the beeping to stop, and count to 20 before opening the lid, then count to 20 again before attempting to remove the waffle. This will help the waffle set in shape and make removal easier. If you do not, and end up with a crumpled mess, don’t blame me!!
Use the same measuring cup you used for the oil for the almond butter, after the oil has been measured the butter will slip straight out.
If your Almond Butter is unsalted, add in an additional ¼ teaspoon Salt.
Here's the recipe for you to enjoy - xgfx or not.
Gluten Free Almond Waffles
Makes 4 or 5 eight inch waffles
2 tablespoons ground Chia Seeds
1 ½ cup Almond Milk
¾ cup Sugar
¼ cup Canola Oil
¼ cup Almond Butter, see Note
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Almond Extract
½ cup Ground Almonds
½ cup white Rice Flour
½ cup Millet Flour
¼ cup Yellow Corn Flour
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
In a large bowl whisk together the chia seeds and almond milk. Stand 15 minutes then whisk again. It will be very gloopy at this point.
Whisk in the sugar, oil, almond butter, and extracts.
Sift in the ground almonds through salt, whisk to combine. Mix will be thick and gloopy. Stand while waffle iron heats.
Once waffle iron has heated spray well with non stick spray, and again before cooking each waffle. These have a tendency to stick so don’t be stingy with the non stick spray.
Cook to waffle makers directions. Allow waffle to sit for 30 seconds or so after cooking is complete (see above) for easier removal from the iron.
I often find myself eating leftovers for breakfast - it means I don't have to think about anything, I know I'm getting a decent amount of the "5 a day" recommendations in, and usually all I have to do is heat and eat.
It does however mean that I often end up eating things like this - a spicy Thai red curry style, Seitan Curry - for breakfast.
Yummy in my tummy, but I can see how it may not be for everyone!!
Continuing my teaser photos from recipes in Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale......today featuring Sweet Long Coconut Rolls with Creamy Coconut Icing.
I'm thinking of a savory teaser for next week....
FYI - There has been a hiccup with Amazon and pre-orders. Never fear things are on track and VBS will be in the stores by the end of March.
I made three different types of crackers this morning as R is having a "Dinner Party" tonight. I also made Banana Mini Cupcakes, and have still to make a pasta sauce. Busy morning, but I hope it all goes well.
Here we have Chees-y Crackers (the yellow ones), Nut and Seed Crackers (with the black specks of poppy seeds) and Spelt Crackers. This way I'm hoping at least one will be liked!!
I've been on a bit of a savory waffle kick lately. These ones are Corn Masa Waffles, made with creamed corn, cornmeal, corn flour, and masa harina - light, airy and crisp they work perfectly as a side dish to any soup, casserole, stew, or (especially) chili!
I've also made Herbed Poached Garlic Waffes and am thinking I should plan some more.
Any savory waffle flavor ideas you think I should write a recipe for??
For the next few (many?) Saturdays I am going to post teaser photos of items from Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale, to completely whet your appetite for this book, and have you drooling all over your keyboards. No recipes, just photos, until the book is released, and then I'll do a poll to see which recipe you'd like the most!
This Saturday's tease is Everything Cookies. and here, a description, from the blurb in VBS -
"My testers requested a “Cowboy Cookie” which, I am led to believe, has everything and anything in it. So here’s a cookie with everything! Switch up the additions if you have a preference, they really are a “use what you have and what you like” cookie as far as the add-ins are concerned!
These are big cookies; big enough so you get a little of everything in each cookie, and big enough for a cowboy-sized appetite."
If you have a problem with stopping after a few nuts then you had better keep away from these bad beauties. Rich, smoky, salty, but not overly so, these are nuts that if you aren’t careful “a little taste” can turn into “where did those nuts go?” in a matter of minutes!
These will last for up to 5 days if kept in a sealed container so make ahead.
Salty Smoky Roast Nuts
Makes 3 cups
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoon toasted Sesame Oil
2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon White Pepper
½ teaspoon Salt
3 cups whole Raw Nuts, shelled, a selection, your choice
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large Ziploc bag mix together the soy sauce, oil, liquid smoke, paprika, syrup, pepper, and salt.
Add the nuts and mix well. Scrunch up the bag to ensure all nuts are covered with a little of the mix.
Spread the nuts in a single layer on the prepared sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning twice, until nuts are browned, with all liquid evaporated. A little of the liquid burnt onto the parchment is OK.
Transfer the hot nuts to a spread out kitchen towel to absorb excess oil as they cool, about 1 hour.
Soup.
This Hot and Sour Rice Noodle Soup (its a tester recipe so I am not sharing) transports me back to my time in Thailand. It is loaded with South East Asian flavors such as ginger, garlic, lemongrass, cilantro and comes complete with rice noodles for slurping. and getting all over your chin. and dropping on your lap.
Sometimes that is all you need.
We bought the girls their valentine cards for school yesterday (too lazy this year to be making them I'm afraid) so I have been thinking about what to make for the inevitable parties they will be having with their classes.
Pictured are a version of one of the cookie recipes in Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale (the Plain Cookies for when you get your copy - you have pre-ordered, right??) made into cute, little, almost one bite, heart shapes. Something like this would be perfect I think, and if I am feeling super lazy then I don't even have to ice them!
Not the best of photos but you get the picture.
The kids all loved it, both how it looked and how it tasted, and seeing as it was a bowling party thought it was, and I quote "just awesome".
Happy kids, happy party, Happy Birthday my big 9 year old!
These ones I made to take to dance class to be shared.
There is a girl in M's class who "doesn't eat flour" and M requested I make some so she could join in with the treats too. (M is a thoughtful and caring girl most of the time!) I checked with the girl's (E) Mum and "doesn't eat flour" does mean she is Gluten Free (had to check!) but has no other allergies.
In the spirit of sharing I made these delicate and delectable Nut and Seed GF Cookies. I did add in some chocolate chips but if I wasn't making for the kids I'd have used chopped up nuts instead.
Lucky for E - she will get to take any leftovers home.
I'll comment and let you know if they were a hit - I'm sure they will be.
I've been busy baking - cookies for school, cookies for dancing, and a birthday cake. Don't worry all to come in good time.
I made these for my eldest to take to school and share with her class on her birthday as a treat. I told the teacher they were Basil Infused but asked her not to tell the children in case it put them off (it could have!). So, the children were told that these were Blueberry Chocolate Chip cookies and they gobbled up the lot.
Hooray for these - Basil Infused Berry Chocolate Chip cookies!
Think cornbread, but in scone format! I know - genius or what!!
Super simple to throw together, and with just a bowl and a piece of parchment to clean up, these are way less messy than making cornbread in a skillet or cake pan. Also think super simple to eat, a little crumbly but not as much as cornbread can be. These are best eaten on the day they are made, but also freeze well.
If Creamed Corn is not available where you are, blend some tinned kernels until liquid yet still chunky.
Cornbread Scones
Makes 8
½ cup Creamed Corn
½ cup Water
¼ cup Coconut Milk
2 tablespoons Canola Oil
1 tablespoon Agave
1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
½ cup Yellow Corn Flour
½ cup fine Cornmeal
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Chili Flakes
¼ teaspoon ground Cumin
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine the corn, water, coconut milk, oil, and agave, whisk well to combine.
Sift in the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then mix to just combine.
Shape into 8 equal portions about 1 ½” in height, and place on prepared tray.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden, cool on tray for 5 minutes prior to moving to rack to complete cooling.
So. Here it is, another month.
After I was sick, the kids were both sick so I didn't have a lot of time on my hands at all this January!
Once I felt like eating again I was cooking, mainy soups and warming thick stews to be honest, but yesterday I went a bit lighter.
I marinated so tofu in my Thai BBQ Sauce/Dressing then pan-fried the cubes, served over rice with an arugula salad and the leftover dressing drizzled over it all. Really yummy.
Looking forward to blogging a little more often in February! M turns 9 this weekend so I will have photos of cookies and cake to share, and R wants a dinner party (like M had in December) so that will be interesting too.
