Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies

     Christmas eve baking anyone? Why not some super moist ginger molasses cookies? 
I baked up a batch of these yesterday, along with a myriad of other goodies, and the house smelled wonderful! These molasses cookies have all the zestfulness they need, with all the chewiness you want. They are made with fresh ginger which really gives them a surprising zing and a real freshness. 

     There's really not much more I can say about these cookies. They're delicious, they stay soft and chewy for days, and I always eat them way too fast. I suggest making a double batch.


Serves: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger, packed + 1 Tbsp water

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda, and spices.
3. In a small mixing bowl, cream together the margarine, sugar, molasses, ginger and water.
4. Slowly incorporate the wet mixture into the dry until you've formed a crumbly mixture.
5. Spoon out packed tablespoon-size portions of cookie dough and roll into balls.
6. Roll the balls in sugar and place on your baking sheet.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

Enjoy with a warm beverage next to warm fire (dreaming just a bit).

Baba Ghanoush

     As a vegan people are ALWAYS asking me what exactly I eat. And of course, whenever they ask me I always say the most boring things....pasta (although, I seriously eat a lot of pasta)...pizza....vegetables....and then, as I fail at saying anything inspiring, I might just refer them over to my blog. And then normally I get a response something along the lines of "Oh my gosh! that's vegan?! but it looks so tasty!" At this I usually laugh. Why would I eat something that doesn't taste good? Anyhoo, a couple weeks ago, I was at dinner at my friends' house and they asked what my favourite dip was. My answer: Baba ghanoush.

     Baba ghanoush, as it is most commonly known in the Americas, or mutabbal, is a deliciously rich and creamy dip made of roasted eggplant and garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and salt. This dip is usually served as an appetizer with pita bread or chips.

     I made some the other night for dinner, and ate about half the batch. I felt guilty for about one second and then remembered that it's pretty much all eggplant.
Might seem like a difficult dip to make, but most of the time you aren't active. So give it a try, I'm sure you'll love it!

Serves: 6-12 (appetizer servings)

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants (about 3 pounds)
• 1 head of garlic (trust me, it's not too much)
• 1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 2 lemons, juiced or 5 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil + more for garnish
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Scant 1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
• Paprika (original or smoked), to garnish, about 1/4 tsp
• Chopped parsley, to garnish

Preparation

1. As your oven is preheating to 450°F (broiler), cut your eggplants in half lengthwise, sprinkle generously with salt, and let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes. This will reduce the natural bitterness of the eggplant, and although it is not necessary, sometimes you can get a particularly bitter fruit, especially off season, so I find it best to cover all my bases. 
2. After about 25 minutes, you should see water droplets on the surface of your eggplant. Wipe the water off with a pepper towel, and place the eggplant face down on a baking sheet. Place your whole head of garlic next to the eggplant, and bake for 15-30 minutes under the broiler.
3. When the eggplant is ready you should see the flesh pulling away from the skin (it will look wrinkly), and possibly some charring on the skin. The flesh should be soft and caramelized. If it looks light-coloured, pop it back in the oven. As for the garlic,when the oven smells garlicky, and the head of garlic collapses slightly when squeezed with tongues, it's ready to be taken out of the oven. 
4. Place your eggplants in a bowl, and let sit for about 10 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. A dark liquid will collect at the bottom, taste it, if it is bitter, you may want to remove some of it so that your baba ghanoush is not bitter (although, I have never had this problem).
5. Deflesh you eggplants. My favourite tool for this job is a grapefruit spoon (yes, it has more than one use!), but a fork also works. Just hold your eggplant from the top and scrape the flesh down into the bowl. 
6. Now squeeze the garlic cloves out of their casings and toss into the bowl of eggplant. 
7. To your bowl of eggplant and garlic, add the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and salt.
8. Purée with an immersion blender until smooth (or transfer to a food processor). 
9. Let cool in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before garnishing. Garnish with a generous sprinkle of paprika (I particularly like smoked paprika in this dip), a drizzle of olive oil (the good stuff) and a bit of parsley (optional).
10. Serve with pita bread, falafel, dippers or your favourite crackers.

Enjoy friends!

And finally my logo is complete!

Happy December 1st everybody! As promised, I've made a few changes to the blog! 

It has been quite the process, so I included some of my work-in-progress pictures below (possibly so that you can just enjoy my shotty drawings :) ).

After a very long process of researching, doodling, planning, sketching and more, the new logo is finally complete! Check it out above! I want to give a shout out to Ryan and thank him for all his hard work (also happy 7 year anniversary!).

Feel free to tell me what you think about the changes and my new logo.
-K

Maple Sesame Glazed Tofu

It's been pretty cold outside lately, so I suppose it's a plus that I've been cooped up inside studying for my exams. And when not studying, I'll probably be in the kitchen -- either cooking or eating. I whipped up some delicious maple sesame glazed tofu last night to go with our garlic sriracha brussels sprouts (Ryan's favourite preparation). This tofu dish goes perfect with a spicy side of veggies and mashed potatoes or another starch like quinoa or wild rice.

I've made this recipe a couple times with both tempeh and tofu and love it for both preparation. If you want to use tempeh instead of tofu, try and marinate it over night or if tight on time, steam it for 10 minutes (this allows the marinade to seep in faster) and then marinate for one hour). 

     
Serves: 3-5

Ingredients

• 1 Brick firm to extra firm tofu
• 2 Cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil for frying

Preparation

1. Cut tofu into three square slabs, and the cut these in half diagonally to create 6 triangular steaks. Place in a sealable container.
2. Prepare marinade: Mince garlic and mix with all of the other ingredients.
3. Poor marinade on to tofu, seal container, inverse the container a couple times to mix.
4. Let marinate for 20-30 minutes, inverting the container half way through the marination process.
5. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat with 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil.
6. Add the tofu and all of the marinate to the frying pan.
7. Let the marinate reduce until it is about half reduced, at this point flip the tofu.
8. Continue to cook the tofu until the glaze is no longer liquidy. Cook the tofu for a couple more minutes on each side to brown the tofu.
9. Serve with you favourite sides and enjoy!

3-Ingredient Fresh Vegan Pasta

     With school and work being as crazy as ever (or possibly crazier), I haven't had much time lately for experimenting in the kitchen, but I though it was about time I posted my fresh vegan pasta recipe. Making a good pasta is a bit tricky, especially seeing as most recipes call for eggs, but it is possible. I've been working on this pasta recipe on and off for over a year now and I've finally got the recipe near perfect. I say near perfect because changes in weather and humidity will affect the amount of water needed in this recipe. On more humid days, you'll probably need less water and on dry days more. So you really have to feel out what you're doing. But don't be scared, fresh pasta is delicious (especially stuffed with sauteed mushrooms or pesto...or both) and worth the risk! (Also, I'm still working on the new logo over here. Getting close to digitizing it!)

Serves: 3-5

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semolina flour
• 1/2 to 1/2+1/8 cup warm water

Preparation

1. On a large clean surface or in a large mixing bowl, mix all-purpose and semolina flour.
2. Form a well out of the flour and poor the water into the well.
3. With a fork, slowly incorporate the water and flour, working from the center of the well and moving outwards. If all the water seems to be incorporated, but there is still excess flour, add the up to 1/8 cup more water. Likewise, if it seems a bit wet or sticky add a bit more all-purpose flour.
4. Once all the flour and water is incorporated, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a smooth ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 10-20 minutes. If you are not planning on cooking all the pasta, you can cut the ball in half, and wrap both halves, keeping the half you are planning to cook at room temperature and place the other half in the fridge. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days, but should be brought back to room temperature before working it.
5. When you are ready to form the pasta shapes, you can either roll it out manually on a floured surface or use a pasta roller machine, as per manufacturer’s instructions.
6. If you are stuffing you pasta, make sure to keep the dough covered when not working with it, otherwise let the pasta stand, uncovered for at least 30 minutes after it is formed. This will prevent the pasta from becoming mushy or sticking together while cooking.
7. When ready to cook the pasta, cook in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Strain and coat pasta in sauce or in oil before serving. 

    

BBQ Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

       I can't believe I've surpassed 10 000 views! With just over 60 posts, its time for some change. I've been working on something new for the blog. I've been drawing away and tinkering with fonts to create a new title header. As soon as it's complete, I will update the blog and let all my followers know (if you aren't following me yet, go ahead and try it. You can follow No Empty Fridge by email by submitting your email in subscription app in the right sidebar). 

       Anyhoo, seeing as it's been great whether lately, chilly night and hot days, I've whipped up a tasty recipe for BBQ-style tempeh that is perfect on lettuce wraps. For those new to the product, tempeh is made from soy beans, like tofu, but the beans are left whole, then fermented and formed into bricks. Tempeh is a hearty source of protein for vegetarians that can really soak up flavour. The best way to get the most flavour in the shortest amount of time is to steam or boil the tempeh for 10-20 minutes first and then marinate it. By parcooking the tempeh, it absorbs the marinade better and much faster than if you where to solely marinate it. This method also makes the tempeh more moist, so it can better hold up to longer or dryer cooking methods, such as pan frying, baking and barbecuing. 
       I've used this recipe when making fajitas with cilantro lime rice and guacamole and most recently on lettuce wraps with couscous, avocado, balsamic-marinaded red onions and lemon-mustard marinated hearts of palm. So tasty! You can find out how I did all of this below, starting with the main attraction: BBQ Tempeh.  

Serves: 3-5

Ingredients

1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 cup (3 tbsp) ketchup 
3 tbsp sriracha or garlic chili paste 
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey or agave 
1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

3 tbsp vegan margarine

Preparation 

1. In a medium large pot with your steamer basket, add a couple of inches of water and place the full brick of tempeh in a the steamer. Steam for 10-20 minutes covered.
2. While the tempeh is steaming whisk together all ingredients in a sealable container. If you're making my lettuce wraps, you will also want to start preparing your other toppings, see below for more information.
3. When the tempeh is done steaming, let it cool, then slice it into about quarter inch strips, then cut those strips into 3 width wise. 
4. Place the chunks of tempeh into the marinate, seal well with the lid, shake and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, shaking or turning after 15 minutes. 
5. When you are ready to prepare your tempeh, heat up a nonstick pan with the margarine on medium heat. Add the tempeh and all the leftover marinade. Let cook for 5-10 minutes on the one side, until dark brown and then flip the tempeh over and cook on the other side for about 5 minutes before removing from the heat.

If you are serving this on top of lettuce wraps, you'll need:
• Large leaf lettuce: washed and air or patted dry
• 1 cup couscous: cooked by covering couscous with 1 cup boiling water in a large bowl and then covering with plastic wrap to let steam for 5 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. (Fluff and season couscous before serving)
• ~1/4 cup sliced red onion: marinated in 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, and a dash of salt and pepper for at least 10 minutes
• 1 can hearts of palm: drained, rinsed, and marinated in 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey or agave and salt and pepper to taste, for at least 20 minutes
• 1 avocado: sliced thinly 

Are you a lettuce wrap fan? Or do you prefer tortillas when you are wrapping up your meal? 

Summer Swiss Chard Pasta

       Based on Grandpa Mark's pasta, this savoury dish is packed with one of my favourite veggies out of the garden, swiss chard. You can enjoy this dish year round, but it's best in the summer with greens and herbs from the garden or the market. I prefer using swiss chard, but you can also use spinach (like Grandpa Mark used to do) in this tasty pasta sauce.

Serves: 3-6

Ingredients

3 Tbsp or 1/8 cup olive oilOne large white onion, cut into chunks4 cloves of garlic, minced1/8 tsp red chili flakes1 tsp dried basil or about 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves cut into strips1/2 tsp dried oragano1/4 tsp dried thymeHalf a large bunch or 300g Swiss Chard, stems and greens chopped2 cans chopped tomatoesOne can (514mL) chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed About 300g pasta

Preparation

1. In a large pan on medium heat, add olive oil, onions, garlic, chili flakes and herbs and sauté for 2 minutes.2. While the onions are sautéing, chop up the swiss chard stems and add them to the pan. Sauté the mixture for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the swiss chard stems begin to soften up.3. Add two cans of tomatoes and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile start a pot of salted boiling water for your pasta.4. Add the beans and the chopped swiss chard to the sauce. Cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.5. Once the sauce is complete, you can add your pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook to al dente. Meanwhile remove your sauce from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.6. When you pasta is finished, strain and spoon the pasta onto plates and cover with sauce. Any leftover pasta can be tossed in olive oil so that it does not stick.7. Garnish with fresh basil if desired and enjoy!