Vegan Chewy Chocolate Brownies

My friend over at A Season to Taste has been asking for this recipe. It's taken a while to post it though! I first got it from a cooking workshop we put together at Le Frigo Vert over ten years ago, and the brownies are truly amazing! They are soft, rich and chewy. And very easy!

Vegan Chewy Chocolate Brownies

1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup water
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup cocoa
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour*
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts

Stir together the 1/2 cup flour and water in a saucepan over low heat until very thick. I use a whisk initially to stop it going lumpy. Then cool the mixture to room temperature. (This is important!)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. (I've used two 8 x 8 pans with success as well.)

In a large bowl combine the sugar, salt, vanilla, and cocoa. Add the cooled flour/water mixture. Stir together. Add the oil and mix well until smooth and the oil doesn't separate out of the batter. (This can take a while.)

Add the remaining flour, baking powder and chopped nuts. (*For a chewier brownie replace up to 1/2 cup of flour with ground almonds. Highly recommended!) Mix well until all ingredients are blended. The batter will be fairly thick.

Transfer batter to pan(s). Bake 25-35 minutes until firm and a knife inserted into the centre comes out 'clean.'

Enjoy!

Exploring Raw Food

Raw foodism is philosophy and lifestyle that promotes consuming foods in their raw form. Some folks believe that raw or living food provides more vital energy and numerous health benefits, as well as leaving a smaller ecological footprint. I haven't looked into raw food extensively, but I have had the opportunity to taste some really interesting raw food meals over the years, and I've found them really flavourful and tasty with interesting textures.

If you'd like to try some raw food, Crudessence Cafe (105 Rachel West) is a raw food juice bar, café, and catering service in the Plateau Mont Royal district. It also offers courses in preparing raw foood and it's health benefits. .

I also came across a raw food meetup group that has regular raw food potluck. Raw-food curious are welcome.

And I wish I could remember the name of it: There is also a raw food caterer in the Laurentians. I've come across them regularly at the Val David Marché D'Eté.

Vegan Spiced Chai

I love a good cup of Indian spiced tea, chai masala. Not the horridly sweet stuff that is served up in cafes and coffee shops across the country often using chai-flavoured syrups, but the authentic chai masala infused with real spices.

It seems that everyone has a different opinion about what spices should be used in chai masala, and in what quantities. It's also a recipe that varies regionally across the sub-continent. Here is my own recipe that i adapted for a vegan friend a few years ago.


Vegan Spiced Chai
Serves 4

4 tbs good quality Ceylon tea
2 cups vanilla soy milk
green cardamom pods
cinnamon stick
fennel seeds or aniseed
peppercorns
fresh ginger
coriander seeds
cloves

Heat about 2 cups of water with vanilla soy milk and desired spices until hot, but not boiling. Add about 4 tbs of good quality loose Ceylon tea and allow tea to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until desired strength. Serve hot in mugs.

I usually use about 1 small stick cinnamon, 4 slices ginger, 6 cardamon pods, 12 pepper corns, 12 coriander seeds, 6 cloves, and about 1/4 tsp of fennel seeds or aniseed; but experiment and see what you like.

I find vanilla soy milk is sweet enough for this recipe, If you want a sweeter tea, add honey.

Valentine Vegan Sweet

If you're still looking for a quick and decadent-tasting vegan desert to share with a special person this evening, here is one of my favorites: Vegan Chocoloate Pudding. It uses silken tofu (like Mori-Nu brand, available at most grocery stores) as its base, although you'd never know it. (And indeed, it has fooled many.) It's also very easy to adjust how sweet or chocolatey the pudding turns out by increasing or decreasing the cocoa or maple syrup quantities.

Quick Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Serves 4

1 pkge (10 oz) firm or extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 to 1 c. maple syrup (to taste; can substitute honey)
3/4 c. cocoa powder (ad more for extra rich chocolate taste)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Pour into serving bowl(s).
Chill and serve.

Serve plain, with fresh fruit or with a fruit compote.