The failed Lemon Meringue
I can’t say it was a complete failure because it was certainly edible and although not exactly favourable, I developed a craving for the leftovers, however my first attempt at a vegan lemon meringue was somewhat unsuccessful (as far as meringues go). I used a recipe off the internet (actually a number of recipes) combined and was highly dissapointed. From one site I took a gluten free rice flour crust which was tasteless and dry; from another I took a meringue filling (which was loaded with cornstarch creating a gelatinized mess instead of a firm custard); and a Bryanna’s “meringue” topping which claimed you could beat ener-g egg replacer for a solid 12 minutes and somehow form peaks (Ok I was naive for attempting this). *sigh*. All in all my meringue was literally a flop. The fluffy white topping was a sea of liquified sugar. This does not mean that a vegan meringue is impossible. It does however mean I might have to give in and buy a copy of Hanna Kaminsky’s “My sweet vegan”. On another note I am currently trying to work out a pumpkin and corn mixture. Last night I attempted pumpkin corn flour muffins and although not terrible they weren’t exactly delectable. Today I think I shall attempt to create a corn meal and pumpkin pancake since I have a mass amount of pumpkin innards left in my fridge from last nights experiment. If all goes well there shall be an interesting recipe coming up and if not don’t worry there will be more recipes anyhow!
Gluten replacements
Although these ingredients can be hard to find (and by no means do I expect you to have them on hand), xanthan gum and guar gum are wonderful gluten substitutes when combined with Gluten-free flours. I never thought I would see these ingredients on my local supermarket shelves but just recently I stumbled upon both of them while at the Bulk Barn (a food store found in Canada). Here is a little bit about these strange ingredients:
Most gluten-free flours will require the addition of xanthan or guar, a substitute binder used to compensate for the lack of gluten. The amount needed to add will depend on the type of product and it’s reliance on the gluten structure. Breads rely heavily on gluten for their structure, cakes to a lesser extent, and cookies almost none. Typically the starchier and/or more refined the crumb, the less the reliance on gluten. Xanthan gum tends to be almost three times as expensive, and in the US is grown off of corn syrup (but tests out corn-free in the lab after processing). Some gluten-free groups discourage the use of guar because of the higher fiber (and therefore possible laxative effect) of large amounts of guar gum use. Try both and see. If these gums are not appropriate for you, some suggest the use of mung bean (AKA green bean) flour (1/8 of cup to every cup flour) or pre-gelled potato flour.
Suggestions for the addition of xanthan or guar: For every cup of wheat-free/gluten-free flour use:
½ tsp. Xanthan/guar gum for cakes
1 tsp. Xanthan/guar gum for breads or pizza
½ tsp. to no xanthan/guar gum for most cookies.
(http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/ZanthanGum.htm)
Quinoa Porridge
Have you been munching down on mass amounts of quinoa lately? You haven’t? Well what are you waiting for!? Pronounced (Keen-wa), this grain is high in protein containing 12-18%. It also contains all of the essential amino acids necessary in a human diet which makes it a complete protein! It’s also a good source of Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorous and dietary fibre AND it’s gluten free. So go to the store, pick up some quinoa and try out this porridge I conjured up this morning!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened almond, rice, or any milk replacement of your choice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tsps arrowroot flour (for thickening)
1-2 tbsp agave nectar or pure maple syrup (Or try a tiny pinch or two of stevia)
Directions:
Combine the quinoa and the water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to low and cover for 15 minutes.
In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, cinnamon and arrowroot powder. If you desire more thick stuff, add more milk and arrowroot flour.
Once the quinoa is done cooking, put the milk mixture into the pot with the quinoa and make sure it is on a low heat. Stir this for 3-5 minutes until you see it thickening. Sweeten with agave, syrup or anything you choose and top with some fresh berries if you fancy.
* This grain is said to be easily digestible for humans and especially those dealing with IBS or other gastro-intestinal problems.
Egg and Milk Replacements
For those Vegans and or dairy/egg sensitive people, I have taken the liberty of posting some ideas for replacing those pesky ingredients that cause us headaches and moral dilemmas. Sadly some Vegans have not ventured farther than a banana or mushy tofu when replacing eggs and even more shocking some have not put down the soy milk to try a little almond breeze. Well the time to start the experiments has begun! Let’s get crakin’!
Egg replacements:
1 egg = 2 Tbsp. potato starch
1 egg = 1/4 cup mashed potatoes
1 egg = 1/4 cup canned pumpkin or squash
1 egg = 1/4 cup puréed prunes
1 egg = 2 Tbsp. water + 1 Tbsp. oil + 2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg = 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed simmered in 3 Tbsp. water
1 egg white = 1 Tbsp. plain agar powder dissolved in 1 Tbsp. water, whipped, chilled, and whipped again
1 egg = 1/4 cup of tofu (try silken and remember to blend it VERY well before using)
1 egg = 1/4 cup of banana
1 egg = 1 tbsp flaxseed (ground up) with 3 tablespoons of water. Make sure that the mixture has gelled before using it.
1 egg = 2 tbsp water mixed with 1 tbsp of oil and 2 tsp of baking powder. Mix together well before adding.
1 egg = 1 heaping Tbsp soy flour or bean flour mixed with a 1 Tbsp water.
1 egg = 2 Tbsp cornstarch beaten with 2 Tbsp water.
1 egg = 1 Tbsp corn starch, 1 Tbsp potatoe starch with 2 Tbsp water.
1 egg = 1 tsp Ener-g Egg replacer with 2 Tbsp water.
Milk replacements:
(Use as you would regular milk)
Almond milk
Soy milk
Oat milk
Hemp milk
Rice milk (quite thin and sometimes you don’t need as much of this as you would normally use cow’s milk)
Coconut milk (quite thick at times and surprisingly it doesn’t really have much of a flavour so it is fairly versatile).
Sources from:
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-1081.html
http://www.vegcooking.com/vegcooking-eggreplace.asp
http://www.wikihow.com/Replace-Eggs-in-Your-Cooking
And: my own experience
Bed time snack
What’s better than a plate of traditional chocolate chip cookies with a big glass of milk? A plate of gluten-free, sugar-free, VEGAN cookies with a tall glass of ice cold soy milk of course!
Now I honestly didn’t think this was possible at first. At best I figured I would have myself a plate of overly moist, hideously grainy and pathetic looking lumps of half baked dough, but for a first attempt I would have to say this recipe has turned out to be quite lovely! The cookies were slightly grainy but had the right amount of moistness and biting into them took me back to childhood memories of a familiar bed time snack. After washing these lovelies down with a glass of cold soy milk I would have to say my cookie craving was satisfied!
And now for the recipe!
Ingredients:
2 & 3/4 cups White rice flour
1 cup soya flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Baking soda
1 Cup Vegan Margarine (I used Earth Balance)
1 & 1/2 cups pure maple syrup OR 1/4-1/2 cup of stevia powder
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Ener-G-eggreplacer equal to one egg
1/2 – 1 cup chocolate chips of your choice
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Sift together the dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix it up!
Now fold in those chocolate chips then drop spoonfulls of dough onto greased cookie sheets and flatten them down with the palm of your hand. Be gentle.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
*Add a slice of fresh apple to your cookie jar to keep those cookies moist!
The Challenge
Hello,
My name is Kathy and I am a vegan who has been dealing with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for a solid 15 years. For as long as I can remember (long before going vegan) I have always been prone to being cold, weak and tired with constant migraines. My vitamin and mineral levels are checked frequently and seem to be perfect. This has led me from a doctor’s office to a Naturopath’s and after some testing they told me I have a long list of food allergens that are causing these symptoms. The list includes:
Dairy (which I don’t eat anymore)
Chicken (obviously out of my menu)
Cloves
The deadly nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, pepper, paprika, chili powder and Chile’s, tobacco)
Melons
Gluten
Sugar (cane)
Salt
Rye
Wheat
On top of these I do not eat any meat, dairy or eggs. This is mainly for the animals but I also care for my health and the environment.
I have never felt that being vegan was something impossible and have never been frustrated when I have had to go out of my way to create a vegan version of my favorite foods. I’ve always seen it as a creative and fun challenge and I hope you will too. I’m just a University student who likes to cook and bake on her spare time and have only recently started to make up my own recipes from scratch. My main goal is to help other vegans and especially vegans with allergies. One day I hope to have a vegan cooking show on the air because I think it’s about time we had one that was just as popular as any other show. I understand that everyone has different allergies and not all recipes will apply to you or be suitable for you but I will try my best. I am positive that if there is an allergen in any recipe it can be replaced with something else to suit your needs. Perhaps we can work on this together and figure it out.
Most importantly enjoy these recipes.
