My Kind of Crust

Can't eat traditional pizza?  Missing real Chicago deep dish?

Well, here is the only vegan, gluten free crust you are ever going to need!  Those of you able to fill it with either traditional or alternative cheeses and proteins will be even happier than I am right now.  Holy cow...  if you can add crushed tomatoes too?  Damn.  I'm jealous!

I am happy enough with this crust that I am filling with edamame mousse for Len and I tonight.

Never had Chicago deep dish?  Well...  I am sorry but you have been missing out.

While Lou Malnati's and Gino's East aren't the deep dishes I grew up on, they do deliver all over the country.  I recommend Giordano's and they ship all over too!

1/2 cup plain Soymilk, heated to 110
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon yeast
4 tablespoons melted margarine
2 cups GF baking mix
Dash of salt

Whisk together the warmed Soymilk, yeast, and sugar in your mixer bowl.  When the yeast is dissolved, add the melted margarine and 1/2 cup of the baking mix.  Blend on low until you have a smooth, thick batter, pausing to scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.

Add the remainder of the baking mix and the salt.  Mix just until no dry parts are left.  Press together with your hands to make a ball.  Do not knead.  Cover with plastic and a towel and allow to rise in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 500.

Oil up the bottom of a 12" pan (pie, cake, pizza of you've got it).  I used a 9" round cake pan since our pizza will not really resemble a pizza too much anyway!

Press the dough from the center to cover the pan, pressed thinly up the sides.

Fill the pizza with what you love, starting with cheese all over the bottom of the crust and ending with sauce or drained crushed tomatoes.

Reduce the oven to 450 and bake for 30-40 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes.

Sparkly Cocoa Cookies

Len made me these little gems.  I love how they sparkle!  Although these have no dairy in them and they don't resemble cheesecake in ANY way, the tart, strong flavor of cocoa somehow remind me of chocolate cheesecake.  Yes. It has been 10+ years since I've seen a cheesecake.  But I am serious!

Preheat oven to 375.

5 tablespoons margarine (Len used Smart Balance)
2 tablespoons shortening (Earth Balance)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg replacer egg (1 tablespoon tapioca starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
1 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup GF baking mix
Dash of salt
Very Vanilla Soymilk
1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (Trader Joe's)
Extra sugar for rolling cookies in

Cream the margarine, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy in mixer, about 5 minutes.  Add the egg replacer egg.  Add the cocoa, baking mix, and salt.  Mix to combine.  Add small amounts of Soymilk until the dough comes together.  It should be firm enough to roll but not too dry that it isn't smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Roll into 1-1/2" balls.  Roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet.  This recipe makes one dozen cookies.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Cool on wire rack before eating.  They don't taste good warm. Cool completely and enjoy!

Creamy Carrot Combo Sauce

Soychamel, meet Gettin' Saucy Carrot Sauce.

The best of two great sauces come together to make a creamy, sort of sweet, topper, spread or filler to lots of things.  I'm thinking pasta, biscuits, pot pies, rice, quinoa, pizza crust, flat breads, toast, burgers, vegan burgers, casseroles...  Anyplace some people use cream of ____ soups, you can use this.

It does take a good 40 minutes of whisking so be prepared for a little workout.

3 tablespoons GF baking mix
2-1/2 tablespoons margarine
2 cups plain Soymilk
Dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 can of carrots, drained and puréed

With a whisk, combine the margarine and baking mix in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat.  Whisk continuously until you achieve a golden color but before it actually gets brown.  You may need to lift the pan off the heat and keep whisking, place it back on the heat, and remove again until you get a nice toasty color.

Add the Soymilk.  Whisk constantly until thick.  When it starts to make bigger bubbles, reduce the heat.  As you whisk  make sure you are scraping the bottom and sides of pan really well.  This may take up to 40 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the salt and nutmeg.

Slowly fold in the carrot purée.

Jennie picked up some of Whole Foods freshly made gnocchi.  They use golden potatoes and rice flour only. They are delicious and make for an easy treat for us.  Sunday dinner!

So Simple Sunday Quinoa

I have made quinoa with vanilla soymilk before when using it in cookies.  I thought I would try hot cereal for breakfast using quinoa, vanilla soymilk, and cinnamon.

Len leaves before lunch and returns at dinner time today. This will be a good hearty breakfast to keep her fueled for work!

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 more minutes.

Finish with maple syrup or fruit.  Or both!