Posted by alisa on December 30, 2008 | 12 Comments
If I were to guess the one thing most people are wishing for in 2009, I would have to go with good fortune. Tough economic times have taken hold, and while hard work perseveres, a little good luck and some well wishes never hurt! Having read quite a bit about traditional foods of good fortune consumed during the Chinese New Year, I was curious if we Westerners had any traditions of our own. Too my pleasant surprise, I discovered quite a few. Leafy greens signify, you guessed it, the almighty (or not so might, depending on the day) dollar, and black-eyed peas arose as a symbol of prosperity from a Civil War legend. Pork symbolizes progress and pushing forward; something that we could use a little of too. You will find many delicious New Year’s day recipes using these foods (see some of my suggestions below), but something seemed to be missing in my mind … the coins! …
Brilliant in color and packed with nutrients, these carrot and parsnip coins could not only be considered a symbol of good fortune and prosperity, but also of health and well being for the New Year. Really, what more could we wish for?
Glazed Carrot and Parsnip “Coins”
Adapted from Recipezaar
These coins are lightly sweetened to help enhance their natural flavors. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of honey used, depending on your desired taste, and how sweet your carrots and parsnips are to start with. Though I haven’t tested it, you could always substitute maple syrup or agave nectar in place of the honey if you wish to make the dish vegan.
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or more as needed; can sub water)
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon oil or margarine (I used coconut oil – goes beautifully with root veggies!)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 small onion, sliced into thin wedges
- salt and pepper, to taste (I used about 1/8 teaspoon salt, no pepper)
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the carrots and parsnips and allow them to cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just tender. Drain the vegetables and set them aside, but make sure to keep the liquid for another use; You have just created double strength broth!
Heat the oil or margarine in a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the onions and suate until tender and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the honey and the carrots and parsnips. Saute for just a minute or two, until the vegetables are glazed and heated through. If desired, season with salt and/or pepper.
Yields 4 Servings
More Prosperous New Year’s Recipes
Foodie Words of New Year Warning
All good symbols can be counteracted by an evil one. Try to hold out on those cravings for luxurious lobster (if not simply for the ridiculous price tag!) – since they travel backward this symbolizes setbacks when consumed for New Year’s – we certainly don’t need more of those! Also, for you frugal foodies, take a day break from chicken; they scratch backwards, which can cause dwelling in the past. In fact, all “winged” fowl could cause good luck to “fly away.” Not that I am superstitious or anything : )
Happy New Year!!!
Best Wishes from the Dairy-Free and Frugal Foodie (aka Alisa)
Posted by alisa on December 28, 2008 | 6 Comments
Pumpkin?! But aren’t we past the pumpkin holi-daze? Not if you are a frugal foodie! With pumpkin pies and holiday baking behind us, those cans of pumpkin, cranberry sauce, and specialty pie spices are all on discount! Nearly every grocery store overstocks these seasonal items, so the blowouts must ensue. The prices will get cheaper as the weeks go on, and they become more desperate, so feel free to jump in when it hits your target price. After the holidays last year, I picked up numerous cans of organic pumpkin and sweet potato for less than $1 a piece at Wild Oats (now Whole Foods) and full-size jars of pumpkin pie spice for just $.25! And trust me, that nice little blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves is useful well beyond the traditional pie.
So for you pumpkin lovers out there, the season may have just begun. My husband is not as big of a pumpkin fan as I, so I waited for this lazy Sunday morning when he was out to indulge myself in some pumpkin pancakes. Since this recipe makes a full batch for 4, I decided to make up one generous serving as pancakes, and prepared the rest as waffles, which I flash froze to toast up on those mornings when I am in a hurry. There is no secret behind the waffles, I used the same batter and simply heated up the waffle iron while I was enjoying my breakfast!
Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart and We are not Martha. This recipe is dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and can be made gluten-free with your favorite gf flour blend. For a vegan / egg-free version, use a powdered egg replacer, such as Ener-G, or I spotted a successful suggestion to use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in place of the egg, adding liquid only if needed to reach the right consistency (which should still be a bit thick).
- 1 1/4 Cups All-Purpose or Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour*
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (or you can use 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, plus an optional pinch of cloves)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, firmly packed
- Generous 1/3 Cup to 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree**
- 2 Tablespoons Oil (I used grapeseed)
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Cup Vanilla Milk Alternative (almond, rice, soy, your choice) or 1 Cup Plain Milk Alternative plus 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Into a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, oil, and egg until homogenous. Stir in the milk alternative, followed by the flour mixture. Stir until just combined; no need to overmix, a few lumps are okay. Set that aside and heat a wee bit of oil in a skillet over medium or medium-low heat (depending on how finicky your stove is). Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the skillet and cook for roughly 3 minutes per side, give or take. The tops of the pancake will have bubbles breaking at the surface when it is time for that first flip.
Serve topped with leftover cranberry sauce (as I did), pumpkin butter (as they did at We are not Martha), or the traditional maple syrup.
*Flour Notes: For the lightest, fluffiest, cheapest pancakes, use all-purpose flour. I use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose in my baking for a touch of heartiness. It is a bit lighter than whole wheat flour, but a bit denser than all-purpose. You can find it from King Arthur or Arrowhead Mills in the baking aisle, and sometimes in bulk (though I typically find that bulk is actually more expensive per pound for this product). If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour but want to add some fiber, you can replace up to 3/4 cup of the all-purpose flour with regular whole wheat flour. If you opt to use all whole wheat flour or another dense flour such as spelt, expect a thicker, denser pancake. When craving hearty, I prefer to make the super-quick pumpkin version of the Oatmeal Blender Waffles in Go Dairy Free.
**Pumpkin Notes: I used 1/2 cup of pumpkin to get at least a little more of that pumpkin flavor, but it does weight the pancakes down just a bit, making them more on the moist side than fluffy. A generous 1/3 cup will yield puffier results, but the pumpkin flavor will be very, very mild.
Yields 3 to 4 Servings
Posted by alisa on December 22, 2008 | 5 Comments
The baking bug hit me this weekend, so I decided to prepare some treats to give to friends this holiday season. I was a bit torn on what to make since I would be shipping some of the items, when the weekly email from Meatout Mondays arrived suggesting holiday granola. Brilliance! Unable to stop with one flavor, I baked three different kinds, and while those were in the oven, I whipped up some truffles too! It was an all-day venture for the amounts produced, but relaxing and fun. Now, onto the granola and a recipe …
Granola Flavor #1: I made my tried and true Home Baked Granola from Go Dairy Free, my cookbook/guide; it is a maple, cinnamon, raisin type flavor. I stayed faithful to my recipe but opted to go all walnuts for the nuts.
Granola Flavor #2: Some slight modifications to my original recipe produced a delightful Vanilla Cranberry Almond Granola. For those of you who have Go Dairy Free, simply increase the oats in the Home Baked Granola by 1/2 cup (to 4 cups) and use 1 1/2 cups of sliced almonds for all of the nuts. Then, swap the maple syrup for honey (I did try agave nectar, but both my husband and I agreed it tasted a bit “off” in this recipe), increase the vanilla extract to 1 tablespoon, and substitute 1/2 t ground nutmeg for the cinnamon (or you can stick with the cinnamon if you like) and dried sweetened cranberries for the raisins.
Granola Flavor #3: My husband is not a ginger fan, so I have kept my desires for a ginger granola locked away in a vault. But, with the holidays upon us (and some ginger-loving friends), it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to break loose and finally create that Gingerbread Granola I had been dying to try out! This really is an all new recipe, quite different from my traditional one, so I am very happy to share it here (recipe below). Thus far, from us ginger lovers, it has received 2 thumbs up, and the smell is awesome when it is baking!
Gingerbread Granola
4 Cups Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coconut (shredded or “chips”)
1 Cup (5 ounces) Raw Cashews, Coarsely Chopped
1/2 to 2/3 Cup Light or Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Allspice or Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/4 Cup Molasses
1/3 Cup Grapeseed, Extra-Light Olive, or Vegetable Oil
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Finely Minced Crystalized Ginger (optional) – I actually used the “uncrstalized” ginger from Trader Joe’s, which is still sweetened and gummy-like, but doesn’t have sugar crystals coating it; I liked the uncrystalized version best
Preheat your oven to 250ºF (120ºC). In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, cashews, brown sugar, and the spices, stirring everything together until well distributed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except for the crystalized/uncrystalized ginger. Stir this wet mixture into the oats and nuts, until everything is very well coated. Spread the mixture into one or two large, ungreased glass baking dishes (I use a 9 x 13-inch). Bake the granola for 60-75 minutes, checking in to give it a stir every 15 minutes. When done, transfer the granola to a large bowl and stir in the minced ginger, if using. Since the ginger will be a bit sticky, make sure you mix it up well to separate. Once cool, store it in an airtight container.
Nut-Free Option: Substitute the cashews with any combination of additional oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, soy nuts, and/or additional coconut.
My notes on baking time: I have tried turning up the heat to shorten the time, but without fail, it burns. This slow bake process produces a better granola in my opinion, and you have much more control over the doneness. If you use metal pans, I find that the granola browns much more quickly, so keep a sharp eye!
My notes on sugar: I use a very firmly packed 1/2 cup, but if you want a sweeter, more dessert-like granola, you can up it a bit.
As for the truffles, I made the Peanut Butter “Truffles” and the Bittersweet Truffles (vegan and soy-free too!), both recipes from Go Dairy Free. For the Bittersweet ones, I made a plain vanilla variety, some with chocolate coating and some with a dusting of both cocoa powder and powdered sugar. But, I couldn’t resist making a “Hint O’ Mint” batch too. I chocolate coated those and put candy cane bits on top to help identify them. If you want to try the mint version, I added 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of mint extract (I can’t remember which! But you can taste-test to your desired amount) and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the whole batch.
Note the bags of granola in the background … it was easy to get carried away!
Frugal Foodie Notes & Tips:
I am a big believer in homemade gifts, as that is what I would prefer to receive. It just means so much more when you know the work and love that wen into it. Of course, it also saves a bundle …
Granola Cost: Approximately $2.00 per 30-ounce batch
The granola made 3 10-ounce bags to give as gifts (or consume at home!). I purchase the oats in bulk ($.99/lb for organic, $.69/lb for regular – I stock up on either when on sale), the coconut in bulk (usually $2/lb or less) and I get the cashews in a 1 lb bag (raw) from Fresh & Easy for $5 (I believe they are also a good price at Trader Joe’s). I then use a coupon at the store for $4 off $20 or $6 off $30 (often available on the Fresh & Easy website) to bring the overall cost of my shopping trip down a bit more. I do buy organic brown sugar at Trader Joe’s, as I find the taste to be far superior, and it comes in a ziploc bag, which is a must for the dry conditions here that immediately turn brown sugar into a rock. I stocked up on Grapeseed oil at Fresh & Easy when they were blowing out large bottles of it for just $3! I also buy the spices in bulk and the vanilla at Trader Joe’s. I calculated the cost of each batch previously and it comes out to about $2 for the full 30 ounces, and trust me, home baked granola tastes way better (and way more fresh) than store bought!
Truffle Cost: Approximately $4.00 for 4 dozen truffles
As for the truffles, Fresh & Easy had a great discount on their big 1lb plus dark chocolate bars for $1.99 per bar (it is OEM’ed from Scharffenberger). I made the entire batch of truffles (4 dozen!) for about $4 … and they were awesome! Beat that Godiva!
Posted by alisa on December 17, 2008 | 8 Comments
This is not a test, nor is it a joke …
It is still snowing like mad, but it is getting quite dark out … I am hoping for some very cool pictures in the morning!
Posted by alisa on December 16, 2008 | 9 Comments
I am a cookie girl, there is no doubt about it, but over the years I grew tired of using margarine and shortening to create that perfect cookie sans butter. So, with some depression-era cookie recipes as my guide, I began experimenting with what I call “pantry” cookies. These days, our favorite chocolate chip cookies (published in the guide and cookbook Go Dairy Free) are in fact made with oil; one version I make with eggs and one without, both are equally adored by adults and scarfed up in minutes by little ones.
But one can not live on chocolate chip cookies alone. My most recent experiment was with molasses cookies. They almost always call for butter or shortening, but I found one popular recipe on allrecipes.com which used oil as the base. To my disappointment, these came out more like gingersnaps than thick and chewy molasses cookies. Yet, after I got over my initial upset, I settled into these snappy cookies, enjoying them for almond milk dunking and with my afternoon tea.
Snappy Molasses Cookies
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg or 1 Ener-G “Egg” for egg-free
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon groun nutmeg
1/3 cup white sugar (for rolling)
Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and sugars. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together 2 1/4 cups of the flour, baking soda, and spices. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture in your large mixing bowl until fully incorporated. If the dough isn’t firm or seems too greasy, add a little extra flour. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, roll them in the 1/3 cup sugar and place them a few inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove them to a wire wrack or wax paper to cool.
Note: I live in a very dry climate, so yours may stay chewier if properly stored.
Yields about 3 dozen cookies
Posted by alisa on December 12, 2008 | 4 Comments
Wow, what a great response! There were a few late entries, and I had to push the drawing back one day as I lost internet access (sorry about that!) but I have at last selected the winners for the Divvies giveaway! Out of 305 comments, using the random.org integer generator, I chose two comments
Santa’s S’morg Winner: Comment #152 – j. cro – “My office is in the Chelsea Market building in NYC and on the ground floor is a restaurant called The Green Table and it’s connected to The Cleaver Company Caterers – they’re supporters of local and organic food… They used to sell this popcorn that was dusted with cocoa powder and it was DIVINE!!! They don’t have their little retail shop any longer, so I can’t get the popcorn, but that was probably my favorite of all time.”
Team Popcorn Winner: Comment #199 – Christina – “Mmmm, sounds delicious! I love all kinds of popcorn, but I’ll pick caramel.”
Congratulations! And, even if you didn’t win, stay tuned as more foodie giveaways will continue here on One Frugal Foodie, along with recipes, and a popcorn recipe post to come (I am dying to trial out the peanut butter popcorn that several of you suggested)!
Posted by alisa on December 7, 2008 | 309 Comments
Yes, the spirit of giving is alive and well! This week Divvies is offering a gift package to two of you! Simply leave a comment below and tell us your favorite type of popcorn … caramel, candied, kettle, chocolate, “buttered,” cheesy, or simply salted … however you like it just share and you will be entered to win!
Now you might be wondering, “What will I win?” Well, Divvies is well known for their gourmet gift packages, so they will be offering up two of these seasonal packages as prizes! The first is their Santa’s S’morg, a sampling smorgasbord of bakery cookies, candy and gourmet popcorns loaded into a large Divvies gift box … and, it looks something (exactly) like this …
The second prize is Divvies’ Team Popcorn, a delicious package of gourmet popcorn, complete with stripe circus bags and a paper scoop for sharing with the whole group. An image would be helpful, no?
Of course, the real thing is much larger, these images aren’t even close to scale!
Also, If you are on a special diet or have food allergies, have no fear. Divvies runs a food allergy-friendly facility that is free from dairy/milk, eggs, tree nuts, and peanuts, and is consequently vegan.
I’m looking forward to hearing your responses, and may just have to follow-up with a recipe or two of your popcorn favorites! The two winners will be announced on Friday, December 12th (2008), so reply now!
Posted by alisa on December 4, 2008 | 3 Comments
When I saw that my parents had leftover cranberry sauce after our Thanksgiving meal was complete, I snatched it up for my take-home care package immediately. I had been eyeing the
Morning After Cranberry Sauce Muffin recipe that I discovered while seeking out good dairy-free leftover recipes for
this post. Of course, it needed just a touch of altering to make it milk-free, and I knew my husband would want a slightly sweeter version. I followed the recipe and used an egg, but I think this one would do just fine with applesauce or even some extra milk alternative (about 1/4 cup of either) subbed in for the egg to make it egg-free and vegan.
Cranberry-Ginger Muffins
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup oats (rolled or quick)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups of leftover cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup unsweetened, plain, or vanilla milk alternative (I used unsweetened almond)
- 1/4 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
- 1 egg (1/4 cup applesauce or even try pumpkin as an alternative)
- Finely chopped crystalized ginger (optional)
Preheat your oven oven to 400°F and grease about a dozen muffin tins (I had some overflow and needed 14).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the milk alternative, oil, cranberry sauce and egg until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. A few lumps remaining are okay; do not overmix. Fill your muffin cups and if desired, sprinkle little bits of crystalized ginger over top. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until they take on a light brown hue and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin (strategically dodging any remaining whole cranberries) comes out clean.
Yields 12-14 muffins
Posted by alisa on December 3, 2008 | No Comments
I just discovered this article on fixing cooking mishaps. It is full of great tips including toning down over-salted dishes, thickening, emulsifying, etc. I hate waste, so it was great to find these “meal savers” that should help prevent mishap dishes from ending up in the trash!
