A Sweet Visit to Babycakes NYC
August 20, 2010
Anytime you’re in New York City, you can always find delicious specialty cafes, eateries and bakeries lining the busy streets. From the delicious artisanal ice cream truck that’s parked along the curb, like that of Van Leeuwen, to the popular vegan bakery Babycakes, I either stumble upon these tasty finds luckily or I hear about them from magazines or by word of mouth.
During a recent trip to New York, I made sure that I didn’t leave without stopping by Babycakes NYC. I found out about this bakery when their cookbook of the same name, by founder Erin McKenna, with its cover photo of enticing chocolate cupcakes caught my eye in the bookstore. I’m fascinated by vegan baking, because that’s one of the biggest things that would keep me from going vegan – delicious, flaky, moist, buttery baked goods!
I mean, a flaky pie crust without butter? A cake without the flavorful soft moisture from milk and eggs? I could go on and on. Let’s face it, butter, milk, cream and eggs all play key pivotal roles in baking! But, those who’ve done away with animal-based products in their diet swear that vegan baking is oh, so delicious and healthier for you.
So, I experiment every now and then with vegan baking to see if it’s really possible to get great baked goods without dairy and eggs, but I’m still not completely sold. Some things lend themselves well to vegan conversions (quick breads, some cookies and cupcakes) and some things you should just leave ‘well enough alone’ (biscuits, piecrusts). However, I’ll admit that I can see why Babycakes has a large batch of fans, including loyal customers who reportedly eat everything under the sun, including dairy and eggs, but go to Babycakes simply for the flavor.
Settling into my seat in the corner of the small bakery with pink walls hung with pictures of Babycakes’ celebrity fans, I sunk my teeth into a vanilla cupcake with naturally colored pink frosting. It was truly delicious — the texture soft; the frosting creamy. The gluten-free chocolate on chocolate cupcake that I tried was also tasty, although, I wasn’t crazy about the dense texture.
Lastly, I indulged in one of their double chocolate chip cookies, which I had tried to make at home following the recipe from the cookbook. Mine didn’t turn out so well, but the ones from the bakery were good and just as the recipe described — crisp on the edges and soft in the center. I then realized that my problem when I made the cookies was just as Erin McKenna warned in the book, measure all ingredients exactly and melt the coconut oil (a butter substitute) completely before measuring. You can’t mess around with baking; it’s a science, especially with vegan baking.
Despite my reservations about vegan baking, I can attest that Babycakes NYC and the cookbook Babycakes are both worthy of your time, cash and taste buds.
Filed Under Book Reviews, Desserts, Vegan | Leave a Comment | Print This Post
Community Farm Cooking:
Cucumber Tomato Salad;
Honey Glazed Carrots with Almonds
August 4, 2010
Greetings! I hope everyone is having a great summer thus far. I’ve been on the go so much (note to self: practice what you preach), that I haven’t had nearly enough time to get out to the farmers’ markets and pick-your-own farms to enjoy the bounty of summer. Although, several weeks ago, I did have the opportunity to share two delicious and easy recipes at Common Good City Farm during a cooking workshop that I taught. Both recipes are nutritious and make for great summer side dishes.
The cucumber and tomato salad with sweet Vidalia onions and Italian dressing has a vibrant cool taste and crunchy texture. Making the Italian dressing from scratch guarantees that it’s only made from natural ingredients — no preservatives, and allows you to use high quality extra-virgin olive oil, which boosts flavor.
My new favorite recipe is this one for honey glazed carrots. Steaming the sliced carrots makes this dish very easy and quick to prepare, and the honey and steamed carrots tossed with dried dill and sliced almonds add a slight crunch, sweetness, and contrast of color.
Make these dishes right away while we still have delicious cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh carrots in season. Freshly picked, seasonal produce always offers up the best taste. Enjoy!
Cucumber Tomato Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing
2 large cucumbers
5 ripe tomatoes
1/2 small Vidalia onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup homemade Italian dressing
Salt and pepper to tasteCut the cucumbers into thin 1/8” thick slices. Half the tomatoes horizontally, and then quarter and core them (making 8 pieces per tomato). Add the cucumber slices, tomatoes and sliced Vidalia onion in a large bowl along with the Italian Dressing and toss all ingredients together well. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Homemade Italian Dressing
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely minced and smeared
1 tsp Italian seasoning (dried herbs)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1 light squeeze of fresh lemon juice (only a few drops)Add the vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt and honey to a medium sized bowl and whisk together. Whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Add the lemon juice and whisk some more. Taste for flavor and add salt or pepper if necessary.
Honey Glazed Carrots with Dill and Almonds
1/2 pound carrots, rinsed and scrubbed
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon organic butter
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher saltBring a pot of water (fitted with a steaming basket) to a boil. Slice the carrots on the diagonal into 1/2” slices. Add sliced carrots to the steaming basket. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Transfer the steamed carrots to a large bowl, shaking off any excess water from the steaming basket and carrots. Sprinkle the dried dill over the carrots and add the sliced almonds to the bowl.
In a small sauté pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium low heat. Once the butter is melted, drizzle the oil over the carrots along with the honey, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
Filed Under Light & Tasty, Quick & Easy, Salads, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian/Conversions | 4 Comments | Print This Post
Blueberry Scones
July 4, 2010
A long holiday weekend either means several days packed with travel and exciting activities, or an opportunity to stay around the house and catch up on much needed rest. This 4th of July weekend, I chose the later. Intentionally staying at home (which takes a lot of intention for me) and chilling out in front of the TV and with a good book also gave me the chance to work on some recipes I had swirling around in my mind.
First up, blueberry scones made with whole-grain pastry flour. Last summer, I shared a recipe for whole-grain blueberry muffins using seasonal, locally grown blueberries. Well, it’s blueberry season again, so take advantage!
Blueberries are packed with good nutrition – anti-oxidants (vitamin A and vitamin C), fiber, and only 84 calories per cup. I mostly prefer to eat blueberries straight from the container rather than cooking with them because, like most fruit, they taste delicious all on their own and it’s healthier to eat them raw. However, every now and then, I do like them in a breakfast or tea-time pastry such as muffins or scones.
My recipe is adapted from a recipe for cranberry-walnut scones that I got from the little recipe booklet that came with my KitchenAid food processor. By the way, if you don’t have a food processor, get one! Every kitchen should have one, as it makes many culinary tasks so much easier and quicker — sifting flour, grating and slicing vegetables, even kneading dough.
So with this recipe, it calls for a food processor, but you can still make these scones even if you don’t have one by using a hand-held pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the flour. Enjoy!
Blueberry Scones
Adapted from a recipe for Cranberry-Walnut Scones by Kitchen AidNOTE: If you don’t have a food processor, then you can cut the butter into the flour with two knifes or a hand-held pastry blender. Everything else you can do by hand with a fork or rubber spatula.
1-1/4 cup organic whole grain pastry flour
3/4 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/3 cup organic unsalted butter, cut in to small cubes
(Keep in refrigerator until ready to use)
1 egg yolk or 1 flax seed egg replacer
(Combine 1-1/2 tsp flax meal +3 tsp water and let sit for 2 minutes)
2/3 cup organic whipping cream
1 cup fresh blueberriesPreheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large bowl food processor, combine flours, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon and pulse about 5 times to combine. Add the cold cubed butter to the bowl of the food processor, cover and pulse about 5 times for 2 seconds each to obtain a fine crumbly mixture.
In a small bowl, combine the whipping cream and flax mixture or egg yolk and stir well. Drizzle the cream mixture over the ingredients in the food processor, cover and process for about 5 seconds to obtain a chunky crumbly mixture.
Transfer the scone dough into a large bowl and gently incorporate the blueberries into the dough with your hands, being sure not to mash the blueberries (or at least not very many).
Lightly flour a large cutting board or flat surface and turn the dough out onto the board. With your hands, flatten and pat the dough into a 1″ think circle about 7″ wide. Then with a floured knife, make four long diagonal cuts across the flattened dough to create 8 wedges. Place the wedges spaced out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.
Filed Under Breakfast/Brunch, Vegetarian/Conversions | Leave a Comment | Print This Post
An Interview with Tracye McQuirter, Author of By Any Greens Necessary
June 7, 2010
In our seemingly never-ending quest to lose weight and eat more healthfully, Black women have a new motivating resource and guide in Tracye McQuirter and her recently released book, By Any Greens Necessary: A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat.
A nutritionist and 20-year vegan with a master’s of public health nutrition from New York University, Tracye is co-founder of BlackVegetarians.org and the Black Vegetarian Society of New York. She shares the message in her new book that a plant-based diet without meat, dairy or eggs, is the best for Black women’s health.
If you’re already thinking, “Forget it! I’ve got to have my meat, ice cream, butter, or cheese!” read on. Tracye has a message that everyone can benefit from. She busts the nutritional myths about protein and dairy, and will definitely have you thinking twice about your food choices. The fact is, our health is at stake and we may need to consider revolutionary changes to reclaim wellness … by any greens necessary.
Why do you think the vegan diet is the best choice for people, especially black women?
A vegan diet can help you live longer. It can help you prevent and even reverse chronic diseases. The world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals agrees that a plant-based diet is the healthiest. The information is not disputed; it’s just not widely promoted. A vegan diet is not just about living longer and disease free – it can also improve your quality of life, and it can help protect the planet.
Black women, we’re fabulous, but we have the worst health [among other demographics of women]. We’re in a crisis situation, so we can’t tip toe around this issue. Eighty percent of us are overweight and 50 percent of us are obese. We’re the heaviest group in the nation and we have the diabetes and other chronic diseases that come with that.
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Filed Under Book Reviews, Interviews, Must Reads | 7 Comments | Print This Post
Allen’s Juicy Turkey Burgers
May 27, 2010
Who’s the best cook in the family out of my large group of cousins on my dad’s side? This was the question supposedly answered by my cousin Allen who claimed he held the crown and title. I don’t know about that, but he did come up with a good combination of herbs and seasonings for a delicious, juicy turkey burger.
If you’re looking for a good recipe to help kick-off the grilling and barbeque season, I definitely recommend Allen’s juicy turkey burgers. As long as you use ground turkey thighs or ground turkey breast no leaner than 97/3, you should have a tasty burger.
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Filed Under Chicken/Poultry | 3 Comments | Print This Post
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