Namaste Brownies

This is just a little plug for Namaste Brownie Mix....these turned out extremely well and tasted just like regular brownies. I purposely underbaked them - only 30 - 33 minutes in the oven instead of the recommended 35 - 40 - and also added only 2 eggs instead of the recommended 3 (because more eggs = more cakey brownies, and I like mine fudgey), and they were extremely moist. I probably could have baked them for another 3 - 4 minutes and been fine, but since it was my first time baking with this mix, I wasn't sure. In any case, I would highly recommend this mix!!

Creamy Peanut and Maple Butter Rice Bowl

My friends who know me well will laugh when they see this post. I am mocked enough as it is for my undying love of peanut butter and maple butter spread, swirled perfectly over toasted bread. I ate this literally every day for lunch for over a year. And I am not sick of it yet. But now I've taken it to a whole new, borderline obsessive level of food love. All day today, I have felt like my stomach was being wrung out like a wet rag. I've just felt like my whole body was rebelling against me. I'm not sure what I did to deserve this all-out rebellion, but there it was, and when I finally got home after work, all I wanted to eat was a giant bowl of some kind of comfort food. What I really wanted was, of course, my favorite fallback meal - the aforementioned peanut butter/maple butter/bread concoction - but I was afraid that the gluten-free bread would fill me up too much. And I really wanted something oatmeal-like anyway. So I used some leftover cooked rice from my dinner yesterday, and made a very simple dish that had just the creamy consistency I was looking for. It tasted like my beloved peanut butter and maple butter, but it felt like I was eating a nice, soft breakfast food. Creamy Peanut and Maple Butter Rice Bowl 1 cup cooked rice (I used Jasmine) 1/2 cup rice milk 2 tbsp. organic creamy peanut butter 1 - 2 tbsp. maple butter (to taste) dash of salt In a small pot, combine the cooked rice and rice milk and heat over a medium flame. Allow the mixture to thicken, and when it has, melt the creamy peanut butter and maple butter into the rice and stir until well mixed. Heat just until it warms through and then remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Pasta with Tri-colored Tomato Basil Sauce

My friend Lisa, as I've mentioned, is an avid gardener, and almost all of the main ingredients in this sauce came from her garden. She often finds herself with a surplus of cherry tomatoes (I think at last count she had 6 different kinds growing in her garden), and I am always willing to lend a hand with helping her consume them. This time, she gave me a whole bag of different kinds of smaller tomatoes, as well as a bag of fresh basil and a few peppers. My other friend Katie supplied some roma tomatoes from her garden. This sauce was incredibly flavorful and didn't need much added to it in terms of spice; it just needed some time to simmer and develop its flavor. It was so good because the ingredients were fresh and home-grown; you can't beat having friends who garden! Pasta with Tri-colored Tomato Basil Sauce 1/2 cup brown rice pasta shells 2 cups assorted small tomatoes (I used tomatoes my friend Lisa gave me from her garden: cherry, yellow pear, and a few other kinds), chopped in half 2 fresh roma tomatoes, chopped finely 1 - 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. Earth Balance "Buttery Spread" 1 - 2 tsp. minced garlic 1/2 medium onion 3 tsp. minced hot pepper (I used Macho Nacho peppers from Lisa's garden) 2 - 3 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped 1 tsp. dried oregano 1/2 tsp. dried parsley Salt and pepper to taste Cook the pasta according to directions until it is al dente. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil and "Buttery Spread" in a pot and add the garlic and onions. Saute over medium heat until the onions start to become translucent, and then add the tomatoes, minced hot pepper, basil, oregano and parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer together for about 15 - 20 min. (at least) to allow the flavors to mingle. Adjust the spices if necessary, but if you use fresh, home-grown tomatoes, the flavor will be incredible as it is. Serve over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese (or fake equivalent) and a few pieces of fresh basil to garnish.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Yesterday I decided to break out the slow cooker that has been sitting, untouched, in my kitchen for the last year or so. I don't know why I had this weird aversion to using it for so long; I came up with all kinds of excuses not to use it. It was too bulky; I didn't have the time to cook something for 8 whole hours; and besides, it was "buried" in one of my cabinets and it would be too much work to get it out. (In reality, it took me less than 30 seconds to remove it from underneath the small, unobtrusive box of hot sauce that was sitting on top of it.) But then I realized...what was I thinking? It's such an amazing cooking set-up. You throw in all the ingredients and walk out the door, only to come back later to wafting aromas and a fully cooked meal. Did I seriously not use this the whole time because I thought it was too labor-intensive?? So I did a little poking around on the internet to try to find a recipe for chicken tacos for Lisa's farewell dinner (before she leaves for the Peace Corps on Saturday) at the apartment tonight, but I was unsatisfied with what I found. They all seemed way too simple - "Cook chicken pieces and plain salsa for 8 hours" - I don't know, I wanted a little more complexity of flavor than that. So I kind of winged this one and took elements of different recipes I found and then added my own twist as well. And I have to say, it turned out way better than most recipes I make up as I go along! It was thick and delicious with well-developed flavors, yet it wasn't overly spicy (you could fix that pretty easily, though, if you wanted to). I think this would also be amazing rolled up in gluten-free corn tortillas, or maybe over a bed of Spanish rice and having a taco salad kind of set-up. (Tacos are just hard for me to eat while containing the filling.) I hope you enjoy! Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos 1 lb. chicken, cut into bite-sized slices/pieces 1/2 medium onion, chopped 2 - 3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (optional) 1 - 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 heaping tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. garlic salt 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. pepper salt to taste 1 can gf tomato sauce 1 can gf diced tomatoes with green chilies 1 can black beans, drained 3 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with about 1/4 - 1/2 cup water (so it is thick but not too watery) Chopped spinach Tofutti "Better than Sour Cream" (or real sour cream if you can have it) gf salsa (I used Newman's Own) Chopped tomatoes Non-cheese (I used Vegan Slices) (or real cheese if you can have it) Gf corn taco shells (I used Old El Paso Super Stuffers) Heat the oil in a copperbottom pan and add the onions, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Saute until the onions start to turn a little translucent, 3-5 min. Add the chopped chicken and cilantro, pepper, and salt and continue to cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until the chicken is slightly browned (but it does not have to be all the way done). Meanwhile, in the slow cooker, pour the cans of tomato sauce, tomatoes, and black beans, and stir. When the chicken is browned, add it to the slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (adjust spices to your taste). I cooked mine for about 6 hours and the meat was very tender and falling apart, but I think it could easily have cooked for another 2 hours and been fine. Mix the 3 tbsp. cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, then add more if it is too thick. You want it to be thicker than milk and not too watery. Add the cornstarch mixture to the chicken and stir in completely. Allow to cook a bit longer while it thickens. Serve in tacos with spinach or lettuce, sour cream, cheese (if you can have it), tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole.

Lemon Passover Sponge Cake

Oh my gooodness, do I love this cake. My mom first made this for Passover this year, and even though it was before I went completely gluten-free, I still loved the light texture and flavor of this cake. What would be a shockingly enormous piece of any other cake is not even enough to make me feel completely full. (Of course, this does not mean that I don't make up for that by eating another piece. That is the danger of this cake.) It resembles an angel food cake, but the regular wheat flour has been completely replaced with potato starch. This was the first time that my mom made it with a lemon glaze, which I thought added a nice touch. She usually serves this with some fresh strawberries piled high on top, and some kind of whipped topping is usually involved. I think it would also be fabulous with some sort of dark berry concoction, either heated or just mixed together and tossed with sugar. But personally, I like it best plain so I can enjoy the full intensity of the lemon flavor.

Lemon Passover Sponge Cake

7 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar, sifted
1 1 /2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
3/4 cup potato starch, sifted
dash of salt

Separate six of the eggs. Beat the six yolks and the one whole egg until frothy. Gradually add sifted sugar, lemon juice, and lemon rind, beating constantly and thoroughly. Then gradually add sifted potato starch, stirring constantly to ensure thorough blending. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff but not dry. Fold gently but thoroughly into egg-yolk mixture. Place in ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake in a moderate oven (350 F) about 55 minutes or until cake springs back when touched gently with fingers. Invert pan and cool thoroughly before removing cake. Serve with sliced strawberries, blueberries, or any other dark berries.

If you want to have a lemon glaze, mix together powdered sugar with lemon juice and potato or arrowroot starch until you get a good consistency.

1/2 c. powdered sugar (make sure there is no cornstarch in this if you want this to be kosher!)
1 tsp. potato or arrowroot starch, and more if needed
3 tsp. lemon juice
water to desired consistency

 Drizzle over the cake and let harden before serving.

Pacific Northwest Gluten-Free Bakery Tour

I just wanted to put in a little blurb for some of the bakeries that I visited in the Pacific Northwest and make sure that everyone knows about them, in case you should be in that area at some point and crave something delicious and gluten-free. The pictures on this post are all from New Cascadia Traditional, but I have to put in a little blurb for the following bakeries as well: The Flying Apron in Seattle, WA - all vegan and gluten-free, this bakery had delicious cakes, cookies, and pastries, as well as lunch items! Da Vinci Bakery in Seattle, WA - some delicious cakes and bread offerings here. This one is a little more out-of-the-way, but it was worth the drive. Panne Rizo in Vancouver, BC - this place was AWESOME. I only wish we had something similar in St. Louis (much less in the US for easier shipping!). They have a lot of items that are dairy-free, including a killer herbed foccacia bread that was so delicious and soft that I couldn't tell that it was gluten-free. If you're ever in the Pacific Northwest, definitely check out as many of these bakeries as you can! You won't regret the extra time it takes you to get there once you taste these delicious treats. Multi-grain seeded bread from New Cascadia Traditional Portland Sourdough from New Cascadia Traditional

Spicy Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, and Blanched Haricot Green Beans

My mom's specialty dish has become roasted chicken and potatoes with her special blend of spices. It's something that almost everyone in my family will eat at least some part of (even though my sister will douse it, like everything she eats, in ketchup before touching it), which is in itself a rare treat for my mom. The spice mixture has an irresistible aroma, and it tastes a little bit different each time, depending on how much certain spices come through or not. The recipe below is very loose and can very easily be adapted to your own taste.

My mom assembles this in very large spice canisters that she saves, so we usually end up with a 40 oz./1.13kg bottle of this stuff. The measurements aren't very exact, and when she made me my bottle, she actually just drew me more of a map on the side of the bottle instead of giving me measurements, making marks where she stopped pouring the different spices. You really don't have to make a huge quantity of it, but it does store well and is nice to have on hand.
Mom's Spicy Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, and Blanched Green Beans

For spice mixture, use the following as a guide, but always make this according to your own taste and adjust as you go along!

2 parts garlic salt
2 parts oregano
2 parts sweet paprika
1 part pepper
1 part basil
1/2 part hot paprika

Assemble the spices in a large container with a lid, and shake until well-mixed. Store until ready to use.

For the meal:
3 -6 tbsp. olive oil
6-8 tbsp. spice mixture
1 whole chicken
5 lbs. Yukon potatoes, washed and cut into wedges
16 oz. fresh cut green beans (haricot are especially good)
1 tsp. baking soda (to cook with green beans; optional)

Chicken:
Clean the chicken and pat dry. Place on the roaster and rub with a thin layer of olive oil. (My mom and I have chicken roasters that are upright and more or less impale the chicken to bake it. You can use one of these, or just a normal roaster.) Then, pat all over with the spice mixture, coating it well. Place the chicken in the oven at 350 F for about an hour to an hour and a half, using a meat thermometer to gauge doneness, if necessary. The inside of the bird should be at about 190 F when it is done.

Potatoes:
Meanwhile, clean the potatoes and cut them into wedges (just remember, the bigger your wedges of potato, the longer you'll have to wait for dinner to be ready!!). Place them in a large bowl, and coat first with 2-4 tbsp. of olive oil, and then with the spice mixture to taste. I do not go light on the spices on the potatoes, but you should add the spice mixture to your own taste. If there is room in your oven, you can add the potatoes to cook with the chicken for the last 30 minutes of baking, or you can remove the chicken and start slicing it as the potatoes are cooking. If you put them in by themselves, raise the temperature to 400 F. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning ever 10 - 15 min., or until you try one and it tastes done to you.

Green Beans:
In a small saucepan, bring some salted water to boil. Add the green beans and 1 tsp. baking soda (which will keep them looking lively and green), and boil for 5-10 min. or until they are tender yet slightly crisp. If you want it, you can add butter and salt to the green beans once they are done, but they are so flavorful that you don't really need to add anything. Serve and enjoy!

Mixed Berry Upside Down Rum Cake

My great-aunt Gene used to make this killer rum cake that I used to dream about. It is still a favorite in my family, although we don't make it as often anymore, and I have wanted to try a gluten-free version lately (actually, ever since my cousin brought a rum cake to a gathering over July 4th weekend - I had already gone gluten-free and was only able to smell it and imagine eating it!). I decided to try it using a Gluten-free Pantry cake mix, since I've heard good things about that brand, and to infuse even more flavor by adding some mixed berries. The result was an incredibly moist and delicious cake that my family seemed to genuinely enjoy, despite its being gluten-free. I ended up using only about 2/3 of the rum glaze recipe below, but my cake also did not turn out to taste overly rummy; you could definitely add the whole amount and have a more potent glaze flavor in your cake. I'm don't see how more butter-rum flavor could be anything but fantastic.


Mixed Berry Upside Down Rum Cake

For the cake:

1 box Gluten-free Pantry Old-fashioned Cake and Cookie Mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. + 1/4 lb. (for glaze - see below) Soy Garden Buttery Spread
1/2 cup rice/soy milk or water
8 - 10 oz. mixed berries (I used Fit&Active Frozen Mixed Berries from Aldi)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the rum glaze:

1/4 lb. Soy Garden Buttery Spread
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup Rum (80 proof)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a 9" springform pan by lining the bottom with wax paper, and then using the 2 tbsp. Soy Garden Buttery Spread to grease the wax paper and the sides of the springform pan.

Mix together the 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon, then use it to coat the inside of the springform pan (as you would with flour). Arrange the mixed berries across the bottom of the pan on top of the brown sugar.

Mix the cake ingredients according to the instructions on the package: beat 1/2 cup Soy Garden Buttery Spread until fluffy, then add the cake mix a little at a time, beating constantly. Add the two eggs and vanilla, and continue to beat the mixture. Then stir in the 1/2 cup rice milk gently, folding it into the rest of the batter. When the batter is well mixed (but don't overmix!), pour it into the prepared pan and spread the top to make sure it is even. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 28-40 minutes (mine took 40 minutes, but the box said 28, so I leave it up to you), or until a knife comes out without big clumps of still-moist dough when you stick it in the middle. (The knife I stuck in was not completely clean, but I think that just made the cake that much more moist later on.)

Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for 5 - 15 minutes, or, if you get impatient like me, immediately remove the sides of the springform pan, invert the cake onto a large plate, remove the bottom of the spring form pan, and slowly and carefully peel away the wax paper so the bottom of the cake is now the top.

To make the glaze, melt the 1/4 lb. Soy Garden Buttery Spread in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the water and sugar. Stir and bring to a boil, then continue to boil for 5-8 more minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick and very bubbly. Remove from the heat and pour in the 1/3 cup rum and stir into the mixture. Immediately spoon/drizzle it all over the top of the cake. I couldn't use all of it and had at least 1/3 of the drizzle left over, but then, the rum flavor wasn't particularly potent when I ate my piece of cake. Use your own judgment and taste to decide how much you'd like to spread over it. Another idea is to wait to invert the cake until you've made the drizzle and pour some of it onto the cake before you invert it, so over what will become the bottom of the cake. That way, the flavor would remain a little more separate from the berries on top. Let cool and serve! This cake turned out to be very moist and flavorful and would not really need ice cream to accompany it, and the flavor might even be overshadowed with it. Oh, and watch out, because you might run into someone like this who tries to steal a bite before it's cooled! :)

Turkey Rice Skillet with Black Beans, Zucchini, and Fruit

You may be thinking that this seems like a hodgepodge of ingredients that I probably just threw together because I happened to have all of them on hand. You would be correct in that assumption. But I have to say - it turned out really great, and it was just what I wanted: a filling meal that was both sweet and a little spicy.

Rice Skillet with Black Beans, Turkey, Zucchini, and Fruit

1 1/2 tsp. garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 red onion
1 nectarine, peeled and chopped
1 apricot, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely
1/2 small zucchini, chopped very small
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 lb. cooked ground turkey
1 cup cooked white rice (I used the leftover rice from this recipe, cooked with cardamom and cinnamon, and it added a wonderful flavor)

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, and add the garlic and onion. Saute for about 5-8 minutes until the onions begin to get translucent. Add the chopped nectarine, apricot, zucchini, and parsley and continue to saute over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the dried spices and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the diced tomatoes, black beans, and cooked ground turkey, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, and add more spices, including salt and pepper, to your own taste. When you are happy with the taste, stir in the cooked white rice. Serve with cheese substitute, sour cream, cilantro, or simply on its own!

Roasted Spiced Pattypan Squash

Lisa, being the avid and talented gardener that she is, is always bringing something fresh for us to experiment with in the kitchen. Last night, she brought a pattypan squash she had just picked that morning, sliced it up into wafery slices, and marinated it in spiced olive oil before roasting it in the oven. This was my first pattypan squash culinary experience, and wow. What resulted was an almost melt-in-your-mouth side dish that had a slight sweetness to it, yet was balanced nicely by the other spices.

Roasted Spiced Pattypan Squash

1 patty pan squash, sliced into thin pieces

2 - 3 tbsp. olive oil

Fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Ground coriander to taste

Ground cumin to taste
Ground turmeric to taste

Ground pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Mix all spices to your own taste in the olive oil. Slice the squash into small pieces, then toss them in the olive oil so they are all coated evenly. Place on a foil-lined baking pan and place in oven to roast. They should roast for about 15-20 minutes, and should be turned or flipped after about 10 minutes to ensure even roasting. Take them out of the oven when they have become soft with a slight crispness around the edges. Serve as a side dish or with rice.

Moroccan Pastry-less Bastila

Lisa and I decided to have a Moroccan theme tonight for my "official" birthday dinner. I recreated and adapted a recipe for a Moroccan dish called "Bastila" that was served to me at a recent dinner party hosted by a previous Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. She served there in the 1970s and you can tell that it is still such a big part of who she is. It was wonderful to hear stories about that time of her life, and about the food we were eating. Traditionally, Bastila is a pastry-type dish reserved for special occasions, in which spiced chicken, seasoned scrambled eggs, and toasted, crushed, and sugared almonds are all wrapped up in layers in phyllo dough, slathered in butter, fried on both sides, and then sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. A true mingling of tastes in so many ways! The Bastilas at this dinner party were individually portioned, but apparently in Morocco, they can be enormous and sliced more like a pie would be. Since the phyllo dough is out for me, I decided instead to make the fillings and serve them on a bed of lightly spiced rice. Lisa brought a squash from her garden as well, which we decided to marinate and roast as a side dish. I think this dish would hold up well if one were to replace the chicken with tofu to make it vegetarian, and certainly a vegan could simply leave out the scrambled eggs in the tofu version. This dish is probably different depending on the region of Morocco it is served in, and though I have no idea which region this particular variety comes from, it is so nicely balanced in terms of spicy and mild, crunchy and soft, and sweet and savory, that I think anyone who appreciates a complexity of flavor in their meals would enjoy it.


Moroccan Pastry-less Bastila

1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice
6 cardamom pods, optional
1 cinnamon stick, optional
1 cup slivered raw almonds
3-5 tsp. pure cane sugar, to taste
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, to taste
4 tbsp. Earth Balance "Buttery Spread), divided
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, to taste
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. turmeric, to taste
1/2 - 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste (add only a little at a time so it doesn't get too spicy!)
1 - 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, to taste
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, to taste
Salt and Pepper
3/4 cup water
6 eggs, whisked well


For the rice:

Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil. Add the 1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to very low, cover, and steam for 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

To prepare almonds:

Melt 2 tbsp. of Earth Balance "Buttery Spread" in a pan over medium heat. Add the slivered almonds and toast for 5-10 min., until they smell very pleasant, but be careful because these will burn easily. Remove from heat and let cool a bit, and then place into a food processor or chop by hand. Place in a bowl and add the sugar and cinnamon to your own taste. This is what mine looked like:



For the chicken:

In a separate pan, melt the rest of the Earth Balance "Buttery Spread" with the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When it is melted, add the onion and cook over medium-high heat until the onions begin to turn translucent. At this time, add the chopped parsley and cilantro, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, ginger, and cinnamon and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add the chopped chicken and saute with the onions and spices until it is browned, about 6-9 minutes. Add 3/4 cup hot water to the chicken, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for at least 15-20 minutes, or for longer if you'd like the spices to mingle a little longer. Test and adjust spices to your own taste.
For the eggs:
Remove the chicken pieces and about half of the sauce to a serving bowl. Bring the rest of the sauce back to a boil, and then add the whisked eggs and, stirring constantly, scramble them in with the rest of the spiced sauce. Stirring constantly will ensure that the eggs are scrambled loosely and in fine pieces. Once the eggs are done, remove them to a separate serving bowl as well.

To assemble:
As mentioned, this is normally a filling that is wrapped up in layers of buttery phyllo dough, fried, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. However, I decided that it would taste just as delicious and be a little better for the conscience to just stack it all up on a bed of spiced white rice. So to assemble mine, the rice went down first, followed by a layer of scrambled eggs, then the chicken with some extra sauce drizzled over it, and finally, the sprinkling of the toasted and sugared almonds.
And voila! Perhaps not as fancy as a pastry would be, but I promise you, you won't miss that part of it too much.

Torta Barozzi, or "Mystery Chocolate Fudge Cake"

When I got home from the birthday party that my family threw for me on Saturday, I was surprised by my friends Lisa, Reena, and Kyle with this beautiful sight - a perfectly moist, fudgey cake that is intensely flavored with espresso, almond butter, rum, vanilla, and dark chocolate. Notice on the picture below that there is even a "25" traced out of the powdered sugar on the cake! My friend Lisa found this recipe from Lynne Rosetto Casper, one of our favorite NPR personalities, and adapted it a bit so I'd be able to eat it, turning my kitchen into a dedicated gluten-free and dairy-free space for the afternoon. What kind of awesome friends do I have? :) Needless to say, this cake is completely delicious, and in particular contrast to the previous post, is a totally different kind of chocolate cake. Rich, dark, and incredibly moist, this cake is more substantive, but equally satisfying. Who needs flour?? It just gets between you and the real flavor, in my opinion.



Torta Barozzi

1/2 cup (2 ounces) blanched almonds, toasted
2-1/2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup + 3 or 4 tbsp. cocoa (not Dutch process), divided
1-1/2 tablespoons + 8 tbsp. Soy Garden Buttery Spread, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (4 ounces) sugar
4-1/2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter or almond butter
4 large eggs, separated
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee granules, dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water
2 teaspoons dark rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the decoration:
1 tablespoon cocoa
1/2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar

Making Almond Powder

Combine the almonds, the 2-1/2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the almonds are a fine powder.

Blending the Batter

"Butter" the bottom and sides of an 8-inch spring-form pan with the 1 tablespoon of Soy Garden Buttery Spread. Cut a circle of parchment paper to cover the bottom of the pan. "Butter" the paper with 1/2 tablespoon butter and line the pan with it, butter side up. Use 3 to 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder to coat the entire interior of the spring-form, shaking out any excess. Preheat the oven to 375 F, and set a rack in the center of the oven. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer, beat the 8 tbsp. "butter" and sugar at medium speed 8 to 10 minutes, or until almost white and very fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times during beating. Beating the butter and sugar to absolute airiness ensures the torta's fine grain and melting lightness. Still at medium speed, beat in the peanut or almond butter (Lisa used almond butter). Then beat in the egg yolks, two at a time, until smooth. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and beat in the melted chocolates, the dissolved coffee, and the rum and vanilla. Then use a big spatula to fold in the almond powder by hand, keeping the batter light.

Whip the egg white to stiff peaks. Lighten the chocolate batter by folding a quarter of the whites into it. Then fold in the rest, keeping the mixture light but without leaving any streaks of white.

Baking

Turn the batter into the baking pan, gently smoothing the top. Bake 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven heat to 325 F and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few streaks of thick batter. The cake will have puffed about two thirds of the way up the sides of the pan. Cool the cake 10 minutes in the pan set on a rack. The cake will settle slightly but will remain level. Spread a kitchen towel on a large plate, and turn the cake out onto it. Peel off the parchment paper and cool the cake completely. Then place a round cake plate on top of the cake and hold the two plates together as you flip them over so the torta is right side up on the cake plate.

Serving

Torta Barozzi is moist and fudgy. Just before serving, sift the tablespoon of cocoa over the cake. Then top it with a sifting of the confectioner's sugar. (Or for a whimsical decoration, cut a large stencil of the letter "B" out of stiff paper or cardboard. Set it in the center of the cake before dusting the entire top with the confectioner's sugar. Carefully lift off the stencil once the sugar has settled.) Serve the Barozzi at room temperature, slicing it in small wedges.

Here are some additional tips from Lynne Rosetto-Casper:

-You want natural unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe, not Dutch process which has been treated to neutralize cocoa's acidity. One quality brand that is not Dutch process is Scharffen Berger Cocoa Powder.

-Quality bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates include Valrhona, Lindt, El Rey, Scharffen Berger, Guittard, Isis, and Theo.

-A good online source for a vast array of chocolates for baking is www.chocosphere.com.

-Medaglia d'Oro instant coffee granules are good to have on hand if you bake a lot with chocolate. It's packaged in a small glass jar and found in well-stocked supermarkets and specialty stores. A bit of strong coffee blended into chocolate cake and cookies batters is a trick that enhances the chocolate flavor.

-Peanut butter is the surprise ingredient in this cake, and an important one. I use creamy Skippy, but no doubt other brands work well too. If an allergy to peanuts is an issue, substitute almond butter.

-Use dark rum for its rich flavor. Myers's Original Dark Rum is one to try.

-While it's not served this way in Vignola, the cake is superb topped with dollops of unsweetened whipped cream. Odd as it sounds, it lightens the intensity of rich desserts like the Barozzi.

Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova...aka Giant Chocolate Macaroon

My Birthday Cake:


I stirred up some debate about the nature of a macaroon at my birthday party last weekend, and about what the name implies about the content of the dessert. I guess it has become so synonymous with coconut that any mention of macaroon now evinces an image of the deliciously chewy shredded coconut variety. It turns out I had some slightly disappointed family members on my hand who had pictured a coconut-filled dessert when I told them about the cake I was planning to make. But to me, a macaroon is a light dessert made from stiffly beaten egg whites that give it a fluffy, yet chewy consistency, usually with some additional flavoring. To this can be added any number of things: chocolate, coconut, nuts, etc. This recipe basically calls for a giant chocolate macaroon to be the base of a cake, which is then topped with silky vanilla cream, fresh raspberries, and shaved dark chocolate. Half of my family requested no raspberries on their cake (God only knows why someone would not want fresh raspberries on their pavlova!), and the two pictures that are up are from the two different halves of the cake.

I got this recipe from Nigella's website, and adapted it just slightly to make it dairy-free, since the cake itself is already naturally gluten-free. I wasn't sure how my family would like it, since they now trained to be innately suspicious about the taste of anything I can eat, since that means that is gluten-free, so I just didn't tell them how I made it until they had already raved about how amazing it was. This dessert was heavenly...and I don't use that word too often to describe food. The taste was intense, yet the texture was so light, that the combination was almost refreshing - and how often can you say that about a chocolate cake smothered in cream?



Chocolate Pavlova with Vegan Vanilla Cream, Fresh Raspberries, and Shaved Dark Chocolate

6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
3 tbsp. fine cocoa, sifted (I used Ghirardelli's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder)
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, divided, with some reserved for sprinkling over the finished dessert
(I used Baker's Bittersweet Chocolate Squares)

For a runnier, drizzle-consistency vanilla cream (pictured above):
1 package + 1/4 cup Tofutti "Better than Cream Cheese"
2 tbsp. - 1/4 cup gluten-free rice milk (or other dairy substitute of your choice)
1/4 cup thick coconut milk
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2-4 tsp. corn or potato starch
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla (or to taste)
1 12-oz. package fresh raspberries

For a firmer, more whipped cream-like consistency:
1 package Tofutti "Better than Cream Cheese"
1/4 cup thick coconut milk
2/3 - 1 cup powdered sugar, to taste
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla (or to taste)


For the pavlova/giant macaroon:

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 300 and cook for about one to one and a quarter hours. Be careful to make sure the temperature in your oven is accurate, since this can crumble easily if it cooks for too long. When it's ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the center you should feel the promise of squishiness beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.

For the vegan vanilla cream:

In a bowl, cream the Tofutti "Better than Cream Cheese" on low-medium speed, and add the 1/4 cup coconut milk. Add the powdered sugar as you continue to blend the mixture, then add the vanilla. Add the potato or corn starch and continue to beat with the mixer. Add the rice milk tablespoon by tablespoon to desired consistency, being careful not to make it too thin. Add a little more starch if you think it needs to be thicker. The cream that I ended up with was somewhat runny, so I froze it for about 2 hours until I was ready to serve it, at which point it had thickened considerably. Feel free to adjust all ingredients to your own taste as well.
**Note: I tried this again and left out the rice milk and ended up with a much better and thick consistency. If this is what you prefer, I would suggest using the second vanilla cream recipe listed.

When you are ready to serve, transfer the pavlova very gently to a large plate. Spread the frozen vanilla cream evenly across the top, then arrange the fresh raspberries over the cream. Sprinkle grated or shaved bittersweet/dark chocolate over the entire dessert and serve immediately.

Grilled Tilapia with Mango Salsa and Rice

Tonight was a venture. I have never liked fish, and I think it is because my family just never ate it when I was growing up (except for tuna fish - one of the fishiest smelling fish you can get, yet my mom liked it!). But my taste buds have changed a lot over the last 3 years or so. Whereas before, the mere sight of a mushroom would be enough to utterly disgust me, now I almost crave them sometimes. I used to hate stuffing; now it is my favorite part of Thanksgiving (although I'll have to figure out a gluten-free version this year). And my next attempt to overrule what my taste buds have always told me? Seafood.

I started with a taste of a shrimp here and there; last year at the Taste of Clayton I was bold enough to try a scallop. Seafood has just never really enticed me - something about the texture of it put me off. But I am also trying to change how I think about seafood. I think at least half the battle is mental. So I decided to decide to like fish. And tonight, my taste buds were actually rather pleased with what they were met with! I spent the evening with my lovely cousins, Meade and Grace, and we tried out this recipe, which originally called for halibut but which we replaced with tilapia. Grace can't stand cider vinegar, which the original recipe also called for, so we used red wine vinegar instead for some extra flavor. One thing to consider with this recipe is how much cilantro you really want in your salsa. I enjoy the taste of cilantro, personally, but Meade and her mom did not care much for the salsa because of the cilantro. So, use wisely and possibly sparingly. Enjoy!




Grilled Tilapia with Mango Salsa and Rice

1 cup Jasmine or Basmati rice
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
5 cardamom pods (optional)
2 cups plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups diced peeled ripe mango
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional; the flavor of this was rather strong)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place rice, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, a dash of salt, and 2 cups of cold water into a pot. Cook rice according to directions.

Prepare mango salsa:  Combine first 7 ingredients. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic.

Prepare the grill. Rub tilapia with oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place fish on grill rack; grill 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with mango salsa.

Chutney-Topped Tofu Curry Cheesecake

Do NOT let yourself be put off this dish just because the name has the word "tofu" in it. If you like curry, you will love this. If you hate tofu, it doesn't matter because you won't taste any! The flavor is immense, and there is a perfect balance between the curry cheesecake and the delicious ginger mango chutney that is slathered over the top of it. I had to force myself to stop eating it, to be honest, but only because there were other people at the table who wanted some. I cannot emphasize the word "force" enough in that sentence,though! Heidi and Ben did a fabulous job with this appetizer.



Chutney-Topped Tofu Curry Cheesecake

1 cup unsalted raw cashews, finely ground
1 8-oz. package regular or tofu cream cheese (Heidi used Tofutti brand)
1 8-oz. package silken tofu
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup mango chutney

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly oil the inside of a 7-inch spring-form pan. Spread the ground cashews over the bottom of the pan and use your hands to press them into an even layer. Place the pan in the oven until cashew crust is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the nuts. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a food processor or using a hand mixer, process or beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the tofu, cornstarch, curry powder, salt, and cayenne, and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Cover with aluminum foil, making several holes in the foil for steam to escape. Place a trivet, rack, or a small heatproof bowl in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour an inch of boiling water into the bottom of the cooker. Place the foil-covered spring-form pan on top of the trivet, cover, and cook on Low for 4 hours.

Take the pan out of the cooker, remove the foil, and let it stand until cool. Once cool, cover and refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight. Let cool completely before removing the pan.

To serve, remove the sides of the pan, using a knife to loosen it if necessary. Spread the top of the cheesecake with the chutney and serve with crackers. We used Hazelnut Nut Thins, but the curry cheesecake is so strongly flavored that it probably does not matter too much what you serve this with.

Quinoa-Chickpea Salad

Ohh, this was so good.  My friend Suzuko made this for our Vegan Gluten-free Food Fest and said that it's usually served hot, but this worked so well as a cold salad that I think I might make it cold next time, too! This dish is packed full of goodness; quinoa is one of the oldest grains in the world and packs a punch with complete protein, calcium, iron, fiber, magnesium, and antioxidants. It is an excellent alternative to wheat grains like couscous, and can also substitute for rice. Plus, it looks a little like confetti when it's fully cooked. How perfect can a grain get?? It comes in several different varieties, including the one shown here, which is Inca Red. You can purchase quinoa at any health food store, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Chickpeas (or Garbanzo Beans) are extremely nutrient-dense with high protein and fiber content as well. This dish is incredibly healthy for you, and tastes delicious, too.

Quinoa-Chickpea Salad

Serves 4-6

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. crushed coriander seeds
several pinches ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup quinoa (any variety will work; Suzuko used a red heirloom variety)
2 cups cooked or 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth

In a small stockpot over medium heat, sauté onions in olive oil for about 7 min. Add garlic and sauté 2 more minutes.

Add tomato paste, coriander, cumin, black pepper and salt. Sauté for another minute. Add quinoa and sauté 2 minutes.

Add chickpeas and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower heat to very low, cover, and cook for about 18 - 20 min., or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. Stir occasionally. Fluff with fork and serve hot, or chill to serve as a salad.

Marinated Moroccan Tofu/Chicken with Dried Fruit Topping

This was originally a recipe for Moroccan Chicken with Dried Fruit and Olive Topping, but I don't like olives, and in the spirit of the vegan-ness of the dinner the other night, I substituted tofu for the meat. So, this is no longer the *most* authentic ethnic dish, but that did not make it any less delicious! Feel free to substitute 1/2 cup of chopped, pitted green olives for 1/2 cup of the dried fruit, should you so desire. And obviously, you could substitute chicken for the tofu as well - but you don't need to. And don't let the length of this recipe fool you; this is a piece of cake to prepare and is sure to please!

Marinated Moroccan Tofu with Dried Fruit Topping

Serves 6-8

3-5 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 -1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 packages extra firm tofu, with water drained and pressed for at least 20-30 min. (see below)
1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice
6 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 cup chopped onion
4 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 cup dried mixed fruit (I used figs, apricots, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, papaya, and mango)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable broth OR fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives (completely optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


For the marinated tofu:

Preheat oven to 425 F.

To drain the tofu: Drain water from the package of tofu, and place it on a paper towel on a level surface. Take another paper towel and press down to get some of the water out. Replace both paper towels, adding a few more underneath and on top of the tofu, and put a plate with a large book onto the tofu and let it sit for about 20-30 minutes until the water has been pressed out of it. Slice it into 1/2-inch thick pieces (I ended up with about 8 pieces per piece of tofu).

In a small bowl, put the 4 tbsp. olive oil, and all of the spices through the thyme. Mix well. Dip each piece of tofu into the oil mixture and hold it over the bowl for a minute or so to let the excess oil drip off. Place the piece of tofu onto a flat baking pan that has been covered in foil. Place the pan on the very bottom rack of the oven and bake the tofu on each side for about 10-15 min., or until each side is well-browned. Remove from oven; set aside.

For the rice:

Boil salted water for the Jasmine rice, and when it has boiled, add the rice, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cumin, and coriander. Bring back to a boil, then turn the heat down very low, cover, and steam for 20-30 minutes until done. Remove cinnamon stick and cardamom pods before serving.

For the dried fruit topping:

Chop the onion and place in a pot with 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté for about 2 minutes, and as the onion starts to cook, add the minced garlic. When the onion begins to appear translucent, add the dried fruit, broth, wine, salt, and pepper (and olives, if you are using them). Bring to a soft boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to simmer until the sauce has thickened. I boiled mine for at least 20-25 minutes, but it is really a matter of taste. I think it takes much longer than what the original recipe called for (which was 5 minutes) for the flavors to mingle nicely enough.


To serve:

Spoon rice out onto a large serving plate and arrange the baked tofu (or chicken) slices over it nicely to serve, as seen above. Have the dried fruit compote in a nice serving dish so each person can spoon it over their tofu and rice.

**If you use chicken instead of tofu:

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, oregano, parsley, and thyme evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; cook 4-10 minutes on each side or until done. When I made this with chicken, it seemed like it took forever to brown and get done in the middle, but we had very thick pieces. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm. Arrange over a bed of rice and serve in the same way as with the tofu.

The First of Many Vegan Gluten-Free Food Fests

Since my friend Katie just went vegan, and I just went gluten-free, we decided that a gluttonous food fest was in order to celebrate the wonderful food we can still eat and feel good afterwards. Several of us came together, each with a different piece of the meal.



We started with this amazingly delicious Tofu Curry Cheesecake, courtesy of Heidi and Ben. Well, actually, we started with some powerful wine punch (also courtesy of Heidi and Ben), which was accidentally made stronger by the addition of some home-brewed dandelion wine from Justin's uncle (which Katie thought was dessert wine - oops!), so by the time it was time to start appetizing, I know I was feeling pretty ready for some food to be in my stomach! This is a savory cheesecake that is cooked slowly in a crock-pot for anywhere from 4 to, in this case, 7 1/2 hours, and is then served with Mango Ginger Chutney slathered all over it. We ate it spread over Hazelnut Nut Thin crackers. All I can say is, wow. I don't think anyone who is not vegan or gluten-free could possibly complain about a lack of flavor in this appetizer.

We slowly moved on to the main course and salads as we drank wine and chatted. There were two fantastic salads that night. Tracy brought a mixed greens and veggie salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, and Suzuko and Greg brought a quinoa-chickpea salad.



They were both just as good as they look! Tracy's salad was full of crunchy, delicious bell peppers and tomatoes, and the quinoa-chickpea salad was so light and flavorful, I really could not get enough of it.

I brought marinated tofu with a Moroccan dried fruit compote and rice, which was originally a recipe for Moroccan chicken, but I think it transferred very smoothly to be a vegan and gluten-free recipe! The flavors came out nicely, and the slightly sweet flavor of the fruit compote balanced nicely with the spices used to marinate the tofu.




And last, but absolutely not least....dessert. These were divine lemon cheesecakes with sliced strawberries on top that Katie and Justin concocted. This one is the gluten-free cheesecake made specially for me (thanks, Katie!), but the others had little crusts on them. I know the picture is a little blurry (it was getting dark at that point in the evening), but believe me, the photo does not do justice to how good this tasted.



Clearly this will need to be an evening that is repeated often, given all the delicious dishes people came up with even with, and because of, the ingredient restrictions! I can't wait to see what the next one brings. I will follow this post with recipes soon!

"Cheesy" Broccoli Rice with Slivered Almonds

Tonight I made a dish that started out as a risotto, but because I am currently obsessed with the wonders of Tofutti dairy substitutes, turned into a wonderfully cheesy dish that would work well as a side or all on its own. It was a very creamy, yet amazingly light, rice dish that had a very pleasantly nutty crunch.




"Cheesy" Broccoli Rice with Slivered Almonds

1 1/2 tbsp. Earth balance
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 cups broccoli
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. thyme
2 cups Pacific chicken or vegetable broth + 1/4 cup broth or water (if needed)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (walnuts would also work well)
Pepper to taste
Garlic salt or sea salt, to taste (if desired)
1/4 cup Tofutti "Better than Cream Cheese"
1-2 tbsp. Vegan Parmesan Grated Topping, to taste

Melt the Earth Balance Buttery Spread in a large saucepan and saute the garlic for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the arborio rice and stir, then pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, and thyme. Add any other spices you think would go well in this dish; this is just how I made it. I would imagine that oregano, basil, rosemary, or parsley would also add a nice touch. Bring to a boil and cover, reduce heat to very low, and steam the rice for about 15 minutes. At that point, taste rice to see if it is done, and if it isn't, add 1/4 cup more chicken broth or water. Cover again and steam until the rice is done. Melt 1/4 cup Tofutti into the rice, then add 1-2 tbsp. Vegan Parmesan Topping to taste. Season with pepper, garlic salt, or sea salt to your own taste.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes in a Garlic "Butter" Sauce

Today I felt like twirling pasta. And when I walked into the kitchen, the first thing I saw was the package of plum tomatoes that I had bought 3 days ago and which were silently reprimanding me for letting them slowly waste away. So, that was that.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes in a Garlic "Butter" Sauce

4 - 5 oz. rice pasta (I used Trader Joe's Rice Sticks, which are shaped like linguine)
16 oz. plum or cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. garlic salt
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional; only if you want a little kick)
1 1/2 tsp. Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
1 tsp. minced garlic

Preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Wash the tomatoes and pat dry. If you prefer to have smaller pieces that are more spread out in the dish (which I think would have made this better), slice each of them lengthwise into halves. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and add the olive oil and dried spices and toss them all together. Place the tomatoes onto the baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes. If they finish roasting before the rest of this is done, remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, boil salted water for the pasta. Add the rice sticks, bring back to a boil, and cook for 6-8 minutes (I think I took mine off the burner right at 7). While the pasta is boiling, melt the 1 1/2 tsp. Earth Balance Butter Spread in a small sauté pan with the 1 tsp. minced garlic. Sauté for about 4 - 5 minutes and remove from heat. Drain the pasta well and put it into a large serving bowl. Add the "butter"/garlic mixture and then the roasted tomatoes (be sure to get all the tomato juice and olive oil from the bottom of the pan!!) to the bowl and toss together well. It took me a couple of minutes to incorporate all of the spices throughout the pasta. Ready to serve! I sprinkled a little Vegan Parmesan Grated Topping on mine. A simple meal with only a few ingredients, yet the flavors are so wonderful together that it tastes complex.

Makes 2 large servings.