Tofu Chocolate Pudding

     Chocolate heaven. As much as I love greens, and boy have I been getting a lot of them lately with my CSA from Rye's HomeGrown, it's always nice to escape the jungle that is my fridge with a smooth and decadent chocolate delight. I initially created this recipe for a food demo for one of my nutrition classes, aimed at getting vegetarian children to eat more protein, considering the nut-free policy of most elementary schools these days. And based on the reviews I received, you'll love this pudding and so will your children (or anyone else's children). Because tofu is so dull it takes on whatever flavours you add it to, in this case it just tastes like chocolate, which makes me very happy. 

     I've tried a couple different ways of making tofu chocolate pudding. Making it with just cocoa powder isn't quite decadent enough, not enough fat. I found that when I used just chocolate chips, it was a bit too fatty. Or perhaps I just felt guilty using that much chocolate chips. Either way, I find that using a combination of chocolate chips and dutch cocoa powder is just perfect. 

     This recipe is rather simple compared to dairy based chocolate puddings, the hardest thing you'll have to do is melt some chocolate, which can either be done with in a double boiler, or if you are lazy like I often am, you can even do it in the microwave. 

Time: 15min (+1h)

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 package silken or soft tofu, drained
• 2/3 cup (120g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or quality dark chocolate
• ¼ cup (30g) cocoa powder, unsweetened
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 1 Tbsp soy milk

Preparation

1. In a double boiler or a large glass bowl over a pot of boiling water, melt chocolate with cocoa powder, maple syrup, water, and soy milk, stirring regularly.
2. Meanwhile blend silken or soft tofu in blender until smooth, alternatively this can also be done with an immersion blender.
3. When the tofu is smooth and the chocolate mixture is melted, add the chocolate to the tofu in the blender, and blend on low to combine.
4. Transfer to a storage container or serving bowls, and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
5. Serve with fresh raspberries and coconut or shaved chocolate.

Try serving it with raspberries and fresh shaved coconut, it's a delicious combination!

Marinated Eggplant

     Night school might be kicking my butt but at least I have eggplant! Not a consolation prize you say? Well you probably haven't tried marinated eggplant yet then. A couple of days ago, we bought a massive eggplant, approximately the size of my head. It was huge. I was leaning towards making baba ghanoush, but Ryan convinced me to try marinated eggplant. The beginning of the processes are similar, for both recipes you have to roast the eggplant. But once the eggplant is out of the oven, you stick it in a bath of herbs, olive oil and acids, wait a day or so and then you have mouth watering marinated eggplant to do with what you please. 

     Marinated eggplant works well as an antipasto along side an array of olives, grilled veggies, artichoke hearts and what ever else your little heart desires. I also love the addition of marinated eggplant on top of a simple margarita pizza. Because the eggplant is so soft after it's marinated, it works really well on pizzas, as well as on garlic toast or in a sandwich. 

Ingredients

• 2 large Italian eggplants or about 6 Japanese eggplants
• 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
• Red chili flakes, to taste 
• 4 large cloves of garlic
• a handful of fresh cilantro (large stems removed, washed)
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil, or as needed

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C
2. Wash and trim eggplant. Slice eggplant into quarters lengthwise (halves if using Japanese eggplants), then cut into half inch slabs lengthwise
3. Finely slice or mince garlic and roughly chop cilantro
4. Oil a baking sheet with olive oil and lay out eggplant. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. 
5. Roast eggplant in 450°F oven for 30-40 minutes, until eggplant is lightly browned and dry looking
6. Let eggplant cool to room temperature
7. Layer half the eggplant in a 8" round glass or ceramic dish without overlapping
8. Sprinkle with half the garlic, red pepper flakes and cilantro and drizzle with vinegar
9. Layer in the rest of the eggplant and sprinkle with the remainder of the garlic, red pepper flakes and cilantro
10. Drizzle with olive oil until almost covered
11. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 12 hours
12. Let come to room temperature before serving

Collard Green Pesto with Kalamata Olives

     Not your traditional pesto...but then again basil can be so expensive when it's not in season. So all the more reason to use collar greens — they're cheap and they'll last you a lot longer. I like this recipe because it's a good way to use up any greens that have been sitting in the fridge and have lost a bit too much of their luster. Blitz them up and no one will ever know that they were on their way to the compost bin, at least not after you add garlic, lemon juice, kalamata olives and some quality olive oil.

     Because this pesto is so much cheaper than a normal basil pesto, you don't feel so guilty having extra sauce, after all we've got to get our greens in somewhere.

Serves: 4-10 (makes about 750mL)

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small bunch of collard greens (about 600g with stems)
• 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 cloves of garlic, inner leaf stem removed 
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice, about half a lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch collards about 2 minutes, or until bright green.
2. Once blanched, cut away the stems, if not already done, and give the collards a rough chop.
3. Toss collards in a food processor with all the other ingredients (yes it's that easy!), starting with the lower quantities of oil and water.
4. Blend on low to begin, then transition to a higher speed as the pesto starts coming together.
5. Add more oil and water until desired texture is obtained.
6. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To the Garden I Go!

     Spring seems to have arrived...hopefully it stays this time. It has been a busy couple of weeks over here, and I had a couple things I wanted to share with everyone. So for starters, I'm done exams (finally!), though summer school(s) will be starting next week, and I'm still busy working at SickKids, but I have also started a summer internship working with Rye's HomeGrown. 

     Rye's HomeGrown in a cooperative which aims to build capacity for food security by producing fresh, wholesome food for the Ryerson community and providing interactive educational opportunities in urban agriculture. I am so excited to be the communications coordinator for Rye's HomeGrown this growing season, and so have been busy up on our 1/4 acre roof-top garden.

We just started planting the cold-weather tolerant plants, like faba beans and lettuces, this week seeing as its been a pretty cold winter and the last of our earth only defrosted a couple of weeks ago. But we've also been busy in our greenhouse growing microgreens and seedlings, along with running our garden design program.

While the weather continues to warm up I'll be getting busier and busier with the gardens, so if miss a post here or there, just know that I'm probably covered in compost. But when I do post, I'm hoping to try and incorporate some of the delicious and local fruit and vegetables from our gardens here in the heart of Toronto into my recipes.

If you live in Toronto, and want to get involved you can follow @ryeshomegrown on twitter or instagram or look us up on facebook for more information. We have drop-in volunteer days the first Friday of every month, so if you our downtown on Friday you should swing on over to our rooftop garden, the Valarie and Andy Princle Environmental Roof, located on the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre Building (152 Dalhousie st) at Ryerson from 1-3. You can check out any of the links above for more information. The farmer's Market at Ryerson will also be opening soon. We will be selling our produce on campus every wednesday from 11-3pm starting May 13th.

I'm not sure if you guys are excited but I sure am! Growing amazing produce right in the middle of Toronto is crazy! And I love it!

If you have any questions for me explicitely about Rye's HomeGrown, you can contact me at RHG.communications@gmail.com.

Vegan Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

     Last week I tried out a couple new recipe ideas. Some of them turned out so-so and need a bit more work, but these dark chocolate cookies I made are perfect just the way they are! And once I (and a close group of my friends...and Ryan's co-workers) give the seal of approval, it's time for you guys to give them a try and tell me what you think. 

     These cookies have a lot of substance to them. In addition to the fresh espresso, they also have cranberries and almond pieces which really make these cookies stand out. Oh, and of course there are chunks of chocolate. I decided it was time to make a chocolate chunk cookie mostly because I had a ton of dark chocolate left over from Easter. I've had the idea for this recipe as a note in my recipe book from before I even had a blog (I knew what was up) and I figured it was about time I tried to make my chicken scratch into something delicious.

     If you're not a big fan of espresso, don't be alarmed, it is not over powering at all but rather ties the chocolate and the cranberries together perfectly. If you taste the batter (and please do, it is delicious!) you can really taste the espresso, but baking breaks down some of the espresso aromatics, and makes the cookie almost more savory. I've got a similar recipe that doesn't have the espresso, but has the same ratio of flour to sugar, and they taste much more sweet. 

Serves: 3 dozen
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Cook 11 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 espresso (If you like espresso pull two double shots, otherwise pull a  long double shot)
• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

• 100g dark chocolate, chunked (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup chopped or sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F/ 190°C and prepare a large baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream margarine with brown and white sugar. Slowly whisk or mix in espresso and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa powder and leavening agents.
4. Pour dry ingredients into wet and mix well.
5. Add in the goodies: chunks of chocolate, cranberries and almond pieces and mix to combine.
6. Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, scoop balls of delicious batter onto the cookie sheet, leaving about an inch and a half between the cookies.
7. Bake at 375°F/ 190°C for 9-11 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Enjoy!

Vegan Carrot Cake with a Cream Cheese Icing or Lemon Glaze

       There is something very satisfying about eating carrot cake. Could be the taste, could be the fact that I feel better about eating a carrot-based cake than other less nutritious desserts. Ryan actually thinks that my carrot cake might be too healthy, but he's happy because he gets to eat cake for breakfast.

       If you know my dad, you probably know that he LOVES carrot cake. I remember when I was around ten or so, my mother was had broken her arm during March break. But it being my dad's birthday, he wouldn't settle for anything less than homemade carrot cake. So my mother, with only one good arm grated my father carrots for his carrot cake. She always reminds us of how that was the best cake she ever made (this recipe is based off of her recipe, minus the sweat and tears that went into that particular recipe), and she never lets us forget it. 

       This carrot cake has pretty much everything in it, many of the ingredients personally requested by my father (he tasted it yesterday and was quite pleased) including shredded coconut and raisins. I grew up loving a good cream cheese icing on my carrot cakes, but recently have been opting for a tangy lemon glaze. Both toppings pare excellently with this recipe, and their recipes and instructions can be found below.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely grated carrot, unpacked (approx. 2 medium-large carrots)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 cup soy milk or other varieties
• 1/2 cup light oil, olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp apple vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat or mixed flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2/3 cup raisins, soaked and drained
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, I like unsweetened
• 1/2 cup walnuts, pecans or mix

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan, bunt pan or 9x9 square pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all wet ingredients, and mix together.
3. Soak raisins in water while you prepare the dry ingredients.
4. In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients.
5. Pour wet ingredients into the dry bowl and mix until combined. Drain the raisins, then fold into wet batter with the nuts and coconut.
6. Pour into prepared pan and bake 350°F for 45-60 minutes. Depending on your cooking wear the times will vary, the square pan and the bunt pan will take less time to cook than the loaf pan.
7. Before removing loaf from oven, check done-ness with a tooth pick or a cake tester.
8. Let cool completely before icing or slicing.

Vegan Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 oz/125g Tofutti cream cheese
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups icing sugar

1. Beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla, and gradually add sugar until fluffy.

Vegan Lemon Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh is better)

1. Whisk icing sugar with lemon juice until smooth.

Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Sesame-Soy Vinaigrette

       I'm not sure if you guys are aware of this, but my favourite type of food is Asian food. Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, you name it, it's all tasty. As the weather has been getting warmer, I've been craving many of my favourite summer dishes, cold soba noodle salad being one of them. So today I bring you my favourite "pasta salad" with an Asian twist. 

       I've been making this recipe for ages, and in general it's a real crowd pleaser. It was only recently though that I decided that it was about time I measure out exactly what I'm putting in it so that I can share this lovely salad with all of you!

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3-6

Ingredients:

• 9oz/250g buckwheat soba noodles
• 1-2 Tbsp peanut oil 
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar 
• 1/8 tsp or a pinch of chili flakes
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 large carrot, fine julienne or shredded (or spiralized!)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)
• 3 Tbsp sesame seeds, white and/or black

Preparation: 

1. In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook soba noodles until al dente, about 5-8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, start mixing up the dressing: in small measuring cup or bowl, mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and chili flakes. Chop onions and shred, grate or fine julienne carrot. 
3. When pasta is ready, drain and rinse with cold water, then put in large serving bowl and gently mix with peanut oil to stop them from sticking.
4. Poor vinaigrette over noodles along with onions, carrots, cilantro, and 2 Tbsp of the sesame seeds. Toss and mix.
5. Let cool for at least one (1) hour in the fridge before serving. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbsp sesame seeds before serving.