Pumpkin Pie, two eggless recipes to try

I am going to make a pumpkin pie a few days after Thanksgiving this year.  Here are links to two recipes that caught my eye today while comparing ingredient lists:






Pumpkin Cram Tart:
http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/11/pumpkin-cream-tart-thanksgiving-recipes.html


Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Spelt Crust:
http://ohsheglows.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6006095
*If I go with this recipe, I will make first attempt at coconut milk with Thermomix:http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2011/13419/thermomix-coconut-milk-recipe.html

Found, Safe Good-Priced Organic Raisins

I was just at home visiting my family in the United States, and being that sesame is not a priority allergen in the United States, I contemplated bringing raisins from Toronto with us.  Before leaving I decided to contact Trader Joe's directly to inquire about their raisins and possible sesame cross-contamination.  To my delight, Trader Joe's has confirmed that their Organic Thompson Seedless Raisins are safe.  The email response reads as follows: "There is no sesame in the facility that processes our Trader Joe's Organic Thompson Seedless Raisins".  Raisins that are cleared for tree nuts and sesame seeds; good for our family and good for snacking.  *Keep in mind that some raisins may contain certain oils that an allergic family is avoiding.  

Arepas, Glad We Finally Tried Making Them

warm and ready for slicing and stuffing

Usually, when I need some inspiration and some guidance for making something new I look no farther than Tastespotting.com.  I often find what I'm looking for and more.  I keep a running to do list of food-related projects.  One of these is making arepas.  I had eaten the Venezuelan version before but for some reason kept putting off making them.  I knew that I just had to make them once and I'd be making them just about every week, so time to stop procrastinating.  Then I thought, why not pass this task to my husband for him to make for my Birthday?  A name in Spanish could even be slightly more appealing and a good reason to accept this tarea. I had decided to be extra helpful and provide him with a recipe, video tutorial and ingredients.  I really just wanted him to be the one to do a test run and give me a free Sunday evening on the other side of the kitchen island.  He usually has more patience with new things than I do anyway.  So back to Tastespotting.  That's where I went to gather information.  I entered "arepas" in the search window and got several websites.  I happened to go to this site and decided that I would start here: http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-make-arepas-these-venezuelan-hot.html

A quick trip to Kensington Market to pick up the P.A.N, or harina de maiz precocida and nothing else needed.  Well, I did make sure to cook some bacon from the Healthy Butcher-my son calls it the "meat s(t)ore" and can spot it a block away since we go there so much- in the cast iron and have it seasoned and ready to go.

So, after a beautiful fall day at the apple farm and evening walk to the park we came home and dinner would be made for me and lunches the following day.  I am not sure if I have one highlight from today. Was it the surprise sunny weather and day out at picking apples, the wagon ride to the apple trees, a very cute rendition of Happy Birthday from my almost three-year-old, no traffic on the DVP, an extra outdoor outing to the park in the evening, my son asking me to go over everything we had done during the day because he had such a "nice day", or eating arepas I didn't cook myself?  I had a really nice day!

We will have some extra arepas for our toddler to try tomorrow for lunch.  It was too difficult to have them ready for his dinner earlier in the evening.  Not napping in the afternoon makes it extra hard to wait. While watching Papi in the kitchen, our little guy was delighted:  "Pan, ya ya ya".  So, anything that resembles bread is usually a winner around here.  It's not so easy to get him to try new things these days.

I will let the website above provide the all the information you will need to make the arepas, and I am just posting the ingredients and some photos from our first attempt:


What you will need:
2 1/2 cups of tepid water
Tablespoon salt
2 cups of P.A.N Corn Meal
Canola Oil
Cast iron pan or other pan for shallow frying
Ingredients of your choosing for the filling

¡Buen provecho!

Blog Toronto's Best Nut-Free Bakeries in Toronto

Where were these nut-free bakeries when I was a child?  While pregnant, I used to make special trips up to Richman's bakery for an overflowing box of nut-free cookies.  Zero anxiety and super delicious!  I like to check in with bakeries that specialize in nut-free baking to see if they make bread and treats free of other allergens as well.

For the list go to, http://www.blogto.com/toronto/the_best_nut-free_bakeries_in_toronto/

I just got off the phone with one of Organic Oven's bakers, most of their baking is done at their Brampton location, and she confirmed that they are nut-free, egg-free and sesame-free.  They do make some almond cookies but they have a dedicated space to avoid cross-contamination.  Hip hip, horray!  I was reading the labels on some of their bread products at Noah's just yesterday.  Now I have direct confirmation that their baked goods are safe for my son's playschool.

Make sure to look at Half Baked Ideas Bakery.  You can get the same Callebaut Chocolates-from a nut-free facility-that the bakery uses for your own baking!

Our Next Snack: Lentil Chips with Tahini-Free Hummus or Some Garlic White Bean Dip

Yesterday, while searching at Kensington Market's Essence of Life for some safe chips for snacking and dipping, these lentil chips caught my eye.  Mediterranean Snack Food Company has lentil chips that come in a variety of flavors.  I picked up a bag of the Parmesan Garlic Chips, read the ingredient label and checked for allergy warnings.  No traces of tree nuts so all was clear for me.  I opened the bag and snacked on some walking to catch the street car.  Later that day, I emailed the company to double-check allergy safety for my son.  They confirmed that the chips are safe for my family.  There are no sesame or egg products that run on the same line as their chips.  I always like to get allergen information in writing directly from the source, and I keep a running list of safe snacks for my little guy.  


Check them out at: http://www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com/products/lentil-chips-parmesan-garlic/


Enjoy with my garlicky white bean dip:
http://kidfriendlyallergykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/garlicky-white-bean-dip.html


Checklist:  no modified food ingredients!
                  free of our allergens!
                  gluten free too for sharing!
               

Sunday Morning Hearty Vegan Waffles

I really like the thought of warm, homemade waffles on Sunday mornings.  I have been dreaming about ladling egg-free batter on hot waffle plates and being rewarded with fluffy, gridded circles topped with berries and maple syrup.  But in order to actually make waffles, I needed a waffle maker.  I have spent a few months looking on favorite food websites for vegan recipes.  I compared ingredient lists and skipped recipes that included flax as an egg replacer and mushy bananas.  I had saved to my files several interesting recipes but had no waffle iron to actually try them out.  My reality changed this weekend when I opened my very early Birthday present from my parents--thank you, mom and dad.  While it's not the Belgian cast-iron model I have imagined owning and loving, like my Thermomix and electric skillet, it is the non-stick version that made most sense.  It's the All-Clad Classic Round Waffle Maker.   Maybe one day, I'll be able to get a used cast-iron one, like the one serving up piping hot waffles at Toronto's Brick Work market on Saturday mornings.  But then, I'll just worry about egg residue and possible cross-contamination.   


What you need for 2 full sized waffles and one "bebé":
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill for all three flours in this recipe)
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup oat flour (I ground rolled oats until I got a texture more like quick oats)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a little ground ginger
1-2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses (my favorite found at: http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/index.html)
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 cup milk (today I used Hewitt's organic goat's milk, can make vegan with alternative milk)


What to do:

Gently mix ingredients until just mixed.

Let batter sit for about 10 minutes, then stir gently again. 

While batter is sitting, turn on waffle iron. The waffle maker takes a few minutes to heat up.

Cook in oiled waffle maker until done.  I had dial turned to 5 1/2.

Top anyway you like.

*I recommend doubling the recipe for more yield.  Freeze any extras for toddler snacks.
** Bob's Red Mill does process nuts and seeds.  Please contact them for specifics concerning cross-contamination.  Cookbook, BabyCakes covers the classics has a great blurb about why they choose their products.

                                                               mommy, no syrup!




FOR SOME WAFFLE INSPIRATION, CHECK OUT:
http://deliciouslyorganic.net/waffles-and-ice-cream-recipe/


http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/09/13/apple-jack-flapjacks/


http://artofdessert.blogspot.com/2012/06/vegan-waffles.html
  

Chocolate Fudge Cookies

These cookies are perfect, both the recipe and the final product: great ingredients and simple preparation. I must mention that this recipe yields a lot of cookies, that's not a bad thing.  I halved this recipe and still got about 30 cookies.   You can make these to bring over to your friend's house and still have about a dozen left over.  I enjoy keeping some in the freezer for future chocolate cravings, I actually like them frozen.   These cookies happen to be both vegan and wheat free.  In case you haven't yet baked with barley flour, check out Bob's Red Mill: http://www.bobsredmill.com/  They do have sesame and tree nuts present in their facility; however, I have been baking with their flours for years. It wasn't until my son's sesame allergy that I even thought about cross-contamination with basic baking ingredients.  For some reason, I am still generally comfortable with their products.  I just recommend, if you or anyone in your family have food allergies, that you inquire personally with the company since we all have different comfort levels.  

What you need:

2 ½ cups maple syrup

1 cup canola oil

1 ½ cups chocolate chips (I use Enjoylife brand)

2 ½ cups dark cocoa

5 cups barley flour

¼ tsp sea salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract


What to do:
Combine syrup, oil, chocolate chips in a bowl.
In separate bowl, combine cocoa and barley flour.
Combine  2 mixtures in large bowl.  
Slowly add remaining ingredients.
Using a teaspoon, scoop batter in portions onto waxed cookie sheet.  
Slightly flatten each ball of dough with the back of spoon.
Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  
Remove cookies when still a bit soft.  They harden as they cool.


More vegan chocolate inspiration:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/vegan/recipe-vegan-chocolate-ginger-orange-cupcakes-110949
http://gracefulfitnessblog.com/2011/12/15/chocolate-ganache-pie/