Vegan Baking Demo at Carrots on Saturday, 20th July 2013

About ten days ago, I had a vegan baking demo at Carrots, The Healthy Kitchen and Store. I've mentioned Carrots, the first vegan restaurant in Bangalore, in my blog posts many times this year.



A few weeks ago, Krishna, the co-founder of Carrots, invited me to teach baking/cooking classes to his staff. Many people who follow my blog and facebook page have asked me to conduct vegan baking classes, so I figured that since I was going to teach some recipes to Chef Ram (Carrots' new Bakery Chef), we could extend that into an interesting demo event. We decided on a Monsoon Afternoon Chai and Baked Goodies theme.

About 11 people signed up to attend the event but we had a bunch of walk-ins and ended up with a total of 15 participants. A couple of them were my good friends who attended to support me but most others were people I met for the first time. I was very happy that I got to meet and speak with all these new, interesting people. It was also nice to hear that some of them have been following my blog and trying out the recipes here for a while now. :)

The event went well for the most part and despite certain imperfections, many participants said that they enjoyed the demo and would be trying out the recipes at home once I posted them here.

My darling hubby, Milesh, patiently recorded the demo. It has taken me some time to edit the videos. I wanted to do this last week but I was travelling. As soon as I got back this week, I started working on the videos so I could share them here along with the recipes. I've divided them into multiple parts for the purpose of organisation.

I apologize in advance for the annoying background noises in the videos. The screaming toddler, creaking buffet vessels, clanking cutlery, the buzz of customers and staff talking in the background - we hadn't anticipated any of these disturbances. The expectation was that the buffet would be closed and the crowd cleared out by 3:30 or so, leaving us with a fairly silent space to do the demo. The participants themselves were watching the demo with rapt attention and were NOT the ones responsible for the ruckus. :p

Now without further ado, let's move on to the recipes you've all been waiting for.

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Basic Vegan Chocolate Cake



Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour or Maida
3 T Good Quality Cocoa
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder (or 1/2 tsp Baking Powder and 1/2 tsp Baking Soda)

Wet Ingredients:
3/4 to 1 C White or Brown Sugar
5 T Coconut or Olive Oil
1 T White or Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Coffee Powder - or Vanilla/Orange/Almond/Mint Extracts
1 C Cool or Cold Water

* Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
* Lightly grease an 8 or 9 inch, round or square cake pan (no greasing required if using a non-stick pan).

* Sieve the dry ingredients together a few times.
* Whisk all the wet ingredients (except oil) together until at least half the sugar has dissolved.
* Add the oil and whisk some more.

* To make the cake batter, pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and quickly mix until there are no large lumps.
* Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and immediately pop it into the preheated oven.
* Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a few cracks have formed on the cake's surface.
* Cool completely in the pan.
* Slice and Serve.
* Enjoy! :)

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Whole Wheat Buns



For the yeast proofing:
1/2 C Warm Water
2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
2 T Sugar

Dry ingredients for the dough:
3-4 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 C Sugar - can be less
2 tsp Salt
2 T Flax Seed Powder

Wet ingredients for the dough:
1 C Vegan Mylk or Water
3 T Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

* Add 2 T sugar and yeast to 1/2 C warm water.
* Stir and keep aside for 10-15 minutes, until the yeast has dissolved and is frothing a bit.

* Mix 3 C of the whole wheat flour with the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl.
* Add the oil and mix.
* Add the yeast mixture and 1 C vegan mylk or water and whisk.

* Gradually add whole wheat flour and mix until the dough comes together into a rough ball.
* Transfer to a floured surface and knead very well until you get a soft, elastic ball of dough.
* Pour some oil in the large mixing bowl, place the ball of dough in it and twirl to coat with oil.
* Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot for 2 hours, until doubled in volume.

* Press down on the risen dough and shape into buns.
* Optionally stuff the buns with your favourite vegetable mixture (a potato palya filling tastes yum).
* Place the buns on a tray, cover and keep aside for 1 hour, until the buns have risen well.

* Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F.
* Bake the buns for about 40 minutes.
* Cool in the tray for 10 minutes.
* Transfer to cooling rack and cool well.
* Enjoy! :)

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Quick and Easy, Gluten Free Almond Coconut Cookies



1 C Almond-Sesame Flour (grind almonds and sesame seeds in a ratio of 3:1 to get this flour)
1 C Desiccated Coconut Powder
1/2 C Bajra (Pearl Millet) Flour
1/2 C Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
Water

* Preheat oven to 250°C / 480°F.
* Lightly grease a baking tray or line it with aluminium foil.

* Mix all the dry ingredients.
* Add a little water at a time to form a stiff dough.
* Pinch off small balls of the dough and flatten into 1 1/2 inch cookies that are about 1/4 inch thick.

* Bake for 10 minutes.
* Allow to cool slightly and transfer to wire rack.
* You can have it warm or at room temperature.
* Enjoy! :)

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Vegan Mylk and Masala Chai



For the Nut and Seed Mylk:
1/4 C Cashews
1/4 C Sesame Seeds
1/4 C Flax Seeds
Water

* Grind the nuts and seeds together into a fine powder.
* Add a little water at a time and blend to get a smooth, creamy paste.
* Add more water and blend until you reach the desired consistency.

For the Masala Chai:
3/4 C Water
3 Cloves
1 Cardamom Pod
1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick
1/2 inch Fresh Ginger - crushed
5 Black Pepper Corns - crushed
1/2 to 1 tsp Sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp Tea Powder
1/2 to 3/4 C Nut and Seed Mylk (should not be too thick)

* Boil the spices in the water for a couple of minutes.
* Add sugar at this point and boil.
* Add the tea powder and boil for a few seconds.
* Reduce the heat to low, quickly pour in the mylk and stir.
* Bring to a short boil and turn off the heat.
* Strain and serve hot.
* Enjoy! :)

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If you attended the demo, I'd love to hear your thoughts about how you liked it and how we can make future events a better experience for you.

Thanks for reading and watching all the videos. When you try out the recipes, do leave a comment here letting me know how you like them. :)

Rose Hip Tea - guest post by Angela of Canned Time

After a terribly hot summer, we've been having rainy, cloudy days these past couple of weeks. The monsoon season has begun! In this kind of weather, there's a constant craving for hot beverages, hearty stews and deep fried goodies. All I want to do is snuggle up in bed. My body feels like it's been been steeped in lethargy and I go through the movements of my daily life in a hazy, slow motion.

Talking about steeping, today's guest post by Angela of Canned Time couldn't have come at a better time! She has shared the recipe for a deeply relaxing herbal tea and it sounds like it'll go perfectly with my wallowing-in-laziness plans. :D

I first met Angela on Facebook when she joined our elite squad of Vegan Temptivists and ever since then we've been visiting each other on our various Internet spaces. :)

Thank you Angela for guest posting on my blog today and I want to especially thank you for the beautiful, cheerful, colourful photographs. I can almost smell the soothing fragrance of those roses! :)

Now on to Angela's post.

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Guest posting today at Veganosaurus and it is such fun....thanks Susmitha for featuring my blog and for being such a wonderful friend and blogger ♥

This is a simple...very simple...herbal tea recipe but it  has given me many hours of peaceful relaxation..............it's just great!



I've discovered a new and healthy way to relax each evening and it's just 'groovy' that a habit can be good for me these days.....



Who knew that roses, such a lovely thing to look at, can also be a super healthy drink to sip and relax with?

Rose Hip Tea is a mildly sweet herbal tea made from the fruit of the rose bush, or "hips".



For an extensive look at Rose Hips, check out my old friend and Foraging Expert Sunny Savage



Rose Hip Tea is most famous for it's abundance of Vitamin C but also contains significant amounts of A, B-1, B-2, B-3, D, E and K. It also provides plenty of Calcium, Iron, Zinc and lot's of fun flavonoids!  YEA......



So how can you steep up a cup of this light lovely tea for you?

Well there are plenty of dried Rose Hip Teas in the market. The one I've been using is from Mountain Rose Herbs. I've had a tough time finding it in health food stores in its 'unpackaged' form, ie: just the dried hips. I do want to try making my own fresh but for now, I'm plenty satisfied with my store bought. I add a little stevia, sometimes a pinch of cinnamon, sometimes a little lemon.

The Rose Hips can also be brewed and chilled for a summer fresh beverage:

1) Combine 4 rounded teaspoons cut-and-sifted rose hips (ground in a spice mill or not) or 4 tablespoons whole dried rose hips with 4 cups of water in a nonreactive saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

2) Alternatively, place fresh or crushed dried rose hips in a warmed teapot, pour boiling water over them, and steep, covered, for 10 minutes.

3) Strain the tea and sweeten if desired with a scant 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract powder or 2 to 4 drops glycerin-based stevia liquid extract per cup. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate, covered, for as long as 3 days.



I always seem to have a drink, either hot or cold, with me most of the day. If you're like me and are looking for a healthier way to sip on a delicious, non-fattening beverage, be sure to check into Rose Hip Tea. It's a great way to enjoy your nutrients ♥



Thanks Susmitha :)  Enjoy everyone......

Hot Spiced Chai with Cashew Sesame Mylk for Virtual Vegan Potluck Nov2012

Welcome VVP visitors! I am delighted to have you here. :)

When I signed up under 'Beverages' for the Virtual Vegan Potluck, I had intended to make a decadent, icy, chocolatey vegan shake of sorts. But since I've been over indulging over the past few days and because of the cold, rainy weather we've been having today, I decided to make a hot and comforting beverage instead.

For many years, I've relished the ritual of drinking hot tea every evening. After going vegan (over 9 years ago), I switched to soy for my daily dose of chai. Earlier this year, I discovered the magical taste of chai that's brewed with cashew mylk. It melds with the flavours of the added spices and is super smooth going down the throat. Simply amazing!

Recently, I've started to add a handful of sesame seeds with the cashews while grinding them to make the mylk to boost the healthy, calcium content. It also serves to enhance the taste of the mylk and subsequently, the tea made from it.

The spices in this Masala Chai help digestion and soothe the throat. So sip on some after you've enjoyed all the gastronomical delights that my fellow VVP bloggers have brought to the potluck today to help settle your tummy. ;)

Hot Spiced Chai with Cashew Sesame Mylk

For the raw sesame-cashew mylk:

1/2 C Cashew
1/4 C Sesame Seeds
2 C Filtered Water

Grind the cashews and sesame seeds to a fine powder.
Add 1/4 C water and blend to a smooth cream.
Add remaining 1 3/4 C water and blend well to get mylk.
Pour into a pitcher, cover and store in the fridge for up to a week.

For the tea (serves one person):

1/2 C Water

1 inch Ginger
4 Cloves
1 inch Cinnamon
4 Pepper Corns
1 Cardamom Pod

1 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Tea Powder

1/2 C Sesame-Cashew Mylk.

Heat water in a small pan.
Crush the whole spices and add to the water.
Boil for a few minutes to infuse the water with flavours of the spices.
Add sugar and boil for half a minute to dissolve the sugar.
Add tea powder and stir well.
Pour in the sesame-cashew mylk and stir.
Boil for another minute or two on medium heat, until the tea gets frothy.
Turn off the heat.
Strain the tea into a cup/mug through a metal tea strainer.
Press down into the strainer with a spoon to squeeze every last drop of tea into the mug.
Enjoy your piping hot cup of Vegan Masala Chai! :)
*slurp*

Virtual Vegan Potluck, the brainchild of Ann of An Unrefined Vegan, is a twice yearly global blogging event. This time, a hundred and four bloggers will be 'bringing' a vegan dish to the virtual potluck by posting a recipe. The blogs are arranged in order of the courses of a meal. We have Appetizers (18), Beverages (5), Breads (5), Salads (5), Side Dishes (9), Soups (10), Main Dishes (23) and Desserts (29).

Each blog post is linked to the blog before it and after it on the list so it's easy for visitors to jump from one recipe to the next in the order of the courses. My Hot Spiced Chai with Cashew Sesame Mylk is the 22nd recipe on the list. You can start at the beginning of the list by visiting the host site Vegan Bloggers Unite or move to the previous or next blog by clicking on the links below.



Thanks for dropping by. :)

Spiced Cashew Mylk Hot Chocolate

Tis the season. The season of rain. The season of cravings and the season of laziness. Not the best of combinations!

I woke up this Monday (boo) morning to beautifully slothful weather. Sighhhh. All I wanted to do was get under a blankie and soak up my Game of Thrones book. And that's exactly what I did. Except, at mid morning, a strong craving for something steamy hot hit me like a ton of bricks. Hot chocolate would be perfect! So would masala chai (especially since poor hubby had a sore throat and wanted something to soothe it).

Ideally we'd get everything. But considering *I* was the one who had to drag my butt to the kitchen and make something, the quickest, easiest thing would be the most ideal. I've said this before and I'll say it again... laziness is the mother of invention. The speed at which I concocted this Masala Hot Chocolate was incredible. Blend, heat, serve. Gotta love nut mylks. :D

Within 10 minutes (including the time taken to shoot pics), I was back in bed sipping on my awesome fusion drink with a ridiculously contented smile on my face.



1/2 C Cashews
1 inch Fresh Ginger
2 T Cocoa Powder
4 tsp Organic Jaggery
1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1 Clove
4 Black Peppercorns
1/2 Cardamom (just use the seeds and not the pod skin)

Grind everything together into a fine powder.
Add a little water at a time and grind into a smooth paste.
Add about 3 cups of water and blend well.
Pour into microwavable mugs and nuke for 2 minutes (or more).
Keep a close watch while microwaving to ensure the mylk desn't overflow.
Alternately, it can also be heated in a pan on a stove and then served once it's steaming hot.
Dust with cocoa powder.
Slurp.

Enjoy the monsoons! :)