Pie and Goodbye

Well this is it. I leave on Wednesday to embark on my daunting European journey. Every time I think about it I have an "Oh my god this is really happening" moment and then I have to calm myself down so I don't hyperventilate from excitement and terror.

I have been thinking a lot about if and how I want to blog while I travel and I have come to a conclusion- I'm starting a new site from scratch, devoted completely to travel stories and photos. 

As much as I love food, this trip is about so much more than just eating and finding vegan-friendly places around Europe. Once I return, I look forward to getting back to sharing cakes and cookies with you all, but for now That's So Vegan will lay low for 8 months. 

If you happen to like me for more than just mouth-watering food porn, please follow my travel blog, Wanderment. Click on the photo below to check it out. I would love all of your insights, comments and advice on the crazy adventures I will be having :)

For now, I will say goodbye with pie.

Blueberry Maple Pie

1 pre-made pie crust (I used this recipe)
3 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 400º and lightly grease a 9" round pie pan. Roll out half of your pie crust into a large circle and press into the prepared pan, folding over the edges.
2. In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, syrup, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon and extract. Stir to combine and let sit for about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. 
3. Pour the filling into the crust and top with either strips of dough for a lattice effect or a whole round piece of dough with slits cut into the middle. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with vegan vanilla ice cream and say a bittersweet goodbye to summer!

Chocolate Lovers Brownie Cookies

I have a little bit of advice for you: the best way to repay someone for letting you crash at their place (besides chipping in for groceries-that's a nice thing to do) is to bake them cookies. As I have preached before, nothing says thank you, you're the best better than chocolate.

I crashed at my friend Mel's family's house this past weekend for Lollapalooza, a huge 3-day music festival in Chicago. The trip was definitely an experience, complete with it's ups and downs.

The downs included:
-being evacuated from Grant Park for three hours along with 70,000 other people because of severe thunderstorms
-the mud after the thunderstorms
-having mud balls thrown into the crowd during Calvin Harris
-almost passing out because of heat exhaustion during J. Cole. Don't worry, I chugged some water, ate a granola bar and I was fine.

The highlights, however, were:
-watching the amazing way that Florence and the Machine practically hypnotized a whole crowd with Florence Welch's incredible voice
-finding possibly the only vegan food at the whole festival (tasty veggie-stuffed dumplings)
-raging with Mel
-despite being so sweaty that I looked like I had taken a shower, getting a guy to dance with me at Kaskade
-getting a pedicure after the hell my feet had been through. It was only slightly embarrassing how horrified the woman looked when I put my feet up for her to see...

To repay Mel and her parents for providing me with a place to sleep and lots of granola bars, I made them a big batch of these. 

These cookies should come with a warning: you have to really love chocolate. They are dark, fudge-y, and as rich as the 1%. There is some seriously sinful chocolate flavor going on here.

Chocolate Lovers Brownie Cookies (loosely adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar)

makes 2 dozen cookies

1/3 cup non-dairy milk
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sucant
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla 
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven to 350º and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, flax seeds, canola oil, sugars and vanilla until smooth. Sift in the remaining ingredients (not including chocolate chips) and stir until a dough forms. Fold in the chips.
3. Roll the dough into about 1 1/2" balls and place them on the cookies sheets, at least 2" apart in case of spreading. Bake for about 10 minutes- they will still feel soft and gooey to touch, but trust me, they firm up as they cool. 

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! If you're not, make a batch of these and it will instantly get better. These cookies are a dream come true. Is that over the top? Well excuse me, I'm still in a chocolate coma :)

Rhubarb Crisp

I'm not sure if you've picked up on this yet, but summer always makes me extremely nostalgic. It's probably something about coming home after being away for a whole school year and having almost everything feel the same as it did when I was younger.

In my opinion, nothing tastes as deliciously nostalgic as my favorite summer dessert: my mom's homemade rhubarb crisp. She used to make it every June or early July from the fresh rhubarb we grew in our garden. This year I volunteered to veganize the recipe and make it slightly healthier, while still maintaining that perfect balance of bitter and sweet. The result? Heavenly.

To get this recipe, you can head on over to my post on One Green Planet, where I am so excited to be debuting as a regular columnist!

Cookies & Chicago

Growing up in Minneapolis has definitely made me a city girl at heart. I love the tall buildings, the buzzing energy of big crowds, and the infinite list of things to do.

My trip to Chicago was too short. The city was beautiful. The art was beautiful. The food was delicious (although my quest to find vegan deep-dish pizza failed). My best friend and hostess Melissa is always wonderful. Can I go back now, please? I think I could spend the entire summer exploring Chicago. 

Mel and me at the Art Institute

In the meantime, I'll just have to busy myself with staying out of the heat and humidity in Minneapolis and baking when it finally goes below 80º.  You may have noticed I'm on a bit of a sweet 'n salty kick, but there are just so many possibilities with that flavor combination! These cookies are chewy with a little bit of crunch from the peanuts and pretzels. Mmm perfection.

Sweet ‘n Salty Cookies (adapted from Munchin' with Munchkin)

makes 1 dozen cookies

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup earth balance

2 tbsp applesauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 2 tbsp water

2 tbsp non-dairy milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

1/3 cup crushed pretzels

1. Preheat your oven to 350º and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flours, salt and baking soda. Set aside. Whip together the earth balance and applesauce in a large bowl until fluffy. Cream in the sugar, then add the flax mixture, non-dairy milk and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, peanuts and pretzels. 

4. Drop the batter onto the cookie sheet in tablespoons and press down to flatten them. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown.

Songs & Salads

It's amazing how much music can dictate your mood. I have always been the type of person to make playlists for certain events and periods of my life. The songs need to fit just perfectly so that when you listen to them years later, they take you back to that moment in time. 

The songs I've been listening to lately remind me of that smell of dewey grass, cicadas buzzing, warm breezes and the slight taste of citrus on my tongue. I wanted to share this with you guys, so I've put together a mini-playlist to give you a taste of my summer. Listen to these songs while you lay in the grass, ride your bike, drive around with the windows down, or whenever you feel in the mood to let in some sunshine.

(click on the photo for download links!)

This salad, in my opinion, is also quintessentially summer. It's light, crunchy, fresh and so incredibly simple to put together: the perfect summer lunch!

Simple Summer Porch Salad

makes about 3-4 servings

Dressing:
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp agave

Salad:
1/2 cup red quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup shelled edamame
1/2 cup baby carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/4 cup crushed raw cashews
1/2 lime

1. Combine the quinoa and water in a medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover, bring the heat down to a simmer and let cook for about 15 minutes or until all the water is soaked up.
2. To make the dressing, combine the ingredients in a small sauce pan over low heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Assemble the salad by tossing together quinoa, veggies, cashews and the dressing. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice and serve warm or chilled.

Does anyone else like to make playlists for certain seasons? I'm always looking for new music recommendations, so I'd love to know what you are listening to this summer!

Orange Blueberry Pecan Cake

Summer is a strange time of year. When my brain goes out of school mode and my thoughts float around without any structure, sometimes I start to feel kind of aimless. So then I make lists to organize things again. 

Things I Don’t Like About Summer:
-boredom
-mosquitoes
-being away from college friends
-trying to find a job

Things I Like About Summer:

-boredom, because it leads to creativity

-being outside in the sun almost every day

-reading books for fun

-beaches

-bike rides

-having a stocked kitchen at home

-driving with the windows down

-night swims

-fresh berries

Looks like the pros outweigh the cons… I guess summer isn’t really so bad overall!

You know what also isn’t so bad? This cake. Oh wait, that’s an understatement. This cake is incredible. I swear, you will not be disappointed by the flavors and the delicious pie-like topping. Plus, you know how I feel about making anything upside-down.

Orange Blueberry Pecan Cake

Topping:
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tbsp melted earth balance
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup crushed pecans
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cake:
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup melted earth balance
1/4 cup orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cinnamon

1. Preheat your oven to 375º. To prepare the "topping," toss blueberries in a small bowl with the flour, sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Pour the melted earth balance evenly over the bottom of a 9" round pan and sprinkle the blueberry mixture on top. Set aside.
2. To make the cake, mix together the milk and vinegar in a large bowl and let sit for 3-5 minutes to curdle. Whisk in the applesauce, earth balance, orange juice, zest, vanilla and maple syrup. Add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and stir until just combined- it's okay if there are a few lumps.
3. Spread the batter over the blueberry-pecan mixture and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
4. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before carefully flipping onto a large plate. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.

I highly recommend enjoying this cake with a tall glass of iced tea, sitting on a porch or outside on a sunny afternoon, listening to this song. You will be refreshed.

How do you feel about summer?

Saying Goodbye to Summer with Gingerbread Cake

With classes starting on Tuesday, it's about time to say goodbye to the summer days. Let me tell you, these past months have been a roller-coaster, but overall it was a rich, wonderful time. I love being on campus, but I miss Minneapolis and all the people and places....



friends...



and I dearly miss my cats. I just developed my roll of black and white film from the summer, so the photos above are some of the highlights I wanted to share with you. While digital is more convenient overall, I do love using my dad's old 1970s pentax for my more artsy-fartsy stuff.

The last night I was in town, my mom (who is also vegan) made the most amazing cake as a sort of sending-off present. She is a great cook, and is a children's book illustrator with her own blog- artistand3cats- which you should check out if you like art or books! This recipe is not the most summery flavor, but it was one of the most delicious cakes I've ever had in my life, so I just had to share the recipe.



Gingerbread Goodbye Cake with Maple Cream-Cheese Frosting

Cake (she adapted the recipe from here):

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2-teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2-teaspoon ground cloves
1/4-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup canola oil and 1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2-cup molasses
1 cup vanilla flavored soy milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Oil two 9-inch springform pans or a cake pans. Line it with a parchment circle.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Whisk to combine.
3. In food processor, combine the oil, applesauce, maple syrup, molasses, soy milk, vinegar and vanilla for one minute.
4. Pour liquid ingredients into dry, whisking together just until all liquid ingredients are absorbed. Batter will be quite wet.
5. Pour batter into prepared pans and place on middle rack of oven. Bake about 45 minutes, or until cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Frosting (adapted from here):

1/4 cup vegan butter (I like Earth Balance), softened
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
approximately 2-3 cups powdered sugar
approximately 2-3 tablespoons vanilla soy milk
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together first two ingredients on high speed. Add powdered sugar and soy milk with mixer turned off and then slowly bring the speed up to high to completely incorporate it, adding approximately 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of milk at a time until desired consistency is reached. If too thin, add more powdered sugar; if too thick, add more soy milk. Beat in maple extract.

Frost and layer the cake and serve warm!

I don't think I can even describe how perfect this cake it. It's rich, moist, gingery... just try it. You have to.

August Love

This post is not exactly about food, but I did want to include some general things from my life in here as well, so here we go!



Who has been to the Minnesota State Fair? Well if you haven't, you are seriously missing out on a quintessential midwestern experience. I have been every year since I was born. We actually have an old photo of me as a baby sitting next to the state's largest prize-winning hog. I don't think I've gotten that close to a hog since then.... but the fair continues to be a great tradition. Food on a stick (I even found vegan options!), funny looking chickens, roller coasters, seed art...



and Johnny Depp look-alikes? Yes please.

Speaking of traditions, I've decided on a tradition for this blog. Near the end of every month, I'm going to do a wrap-up list of random little things that made me smile throughout the days. Hopefully they make you smile too!

So, here are a few of my favorite things from the month of August, food related and otherwise:

-This song. It is absolutely perfect for a summer road trip.

-This food blog. Cute and Delicious... the title says it all. I tried the orange muffin recipe a while back and it was one of the best muffins I've ever made.

-All of the My Drunk Kitchen episodes. She may not be able to cook for shit, but this girl is hilarious.

-The book Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl. It's a beautiful memoir about the way food can play a role in one's life. it can bring people together, tear them apart and teach them who they are. I recommend it to anyone, even if you're not a hard-core foodie.

-This song too... it's my guilty pleasure. It's just sooo catchy.

-Mad Men. I just discovered this TV show and I am in love. I secretly wish I lived in the 1950s... or at least that people still dressed like that.

-Any recipe that uses fresh fruit. I've just been craving it lately!

That's all for now! Let me know how you feel about having posts like this mixed in with the recipes and such. Being new at this, I'm still deciding what exactly my content should be. If anyone has any ideas please leave a comment!

New recipes and photos coming soon... stay tuned.