Pumpkin Pie, and I wish I knew CSS better.

Thanksgiving is done, and I have no excuses as to why I would post this recipe so late. :[ Slacking.

Also, I have been trying to make my website look nicer / add more work to it. It is coming along, slowly but surely. Tips, suggestions, and high fives are always welcome - - rachelwalsh.me.




Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Blend in food processor or blender:

2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup non-dairy milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tbsp molasses
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves

Pour filling into pie crust and bake for 60 minutes. Cool on rack, then refrigerate overnight before serving. The longer you can refrigerate it, the better. This is key in having this pie set up.

Puppies up for Adoption.

Mama, a super beautiful and sweet beagle, was abused and dumped in the country near my sister's house in Delphi, IN. I cannot imagine how anyone could even think of hurting such a lovely creature. My sister's dog, Loki, banged her, and now we have six puppies on our hands! At least five still need good homes, and they will be ready around Thanksgiving.

If interested, please give one of those guys a call. The parent dogs are both very loving and love to play, and their pups are AMAZING - such sweethearts.















Googly eyes point toward my dad to take Mama Beagle. :D

Potato Soup with Broccoli and Kale.

My love for kale-containing soup started quite a few years ago when I tried Olive Garden's zuppa toscana soup. If you eat sausage you should totally try it. This soup reminds me of that with the kale, potatoes and spices, but it is not trying to mimic it by any means.

I made this and chocolate muffins for dinner last night.. You could definitely say 'food baby.'


6-8 baking potatoes, baked and cooled
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed,
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 tsp salt
8 cups vegetable broth
6 kale leaves, torn into bite-size pieces, rough stems removed
1/2 cup plain soymilk


Saute sliced onions in olive oil until they appear transparent. Slice the potatoes into 3/4 inch chunks. Add garlic and spices to the onions, and cook for another two minutes or until fragrant. Add some of the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, then add the potatoes and bring to a slow boil. Add broccoli and kale during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Use an immersion blender to blend about 1/3 of the soup, but keep it chunky. Stir in the soymilk, and let the soup sit for a few minutes to let the flavors meld.

Serve with your favorite muffin recipe, and enjoy!

Hearty Spiced Cocoa Muffins.

This recipe is pretty much straight out of The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. These muffins are very rich, moist, and satisfying. Great for Autumn weather and the holiday season.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
3 tsp Ener-G egg replacer (equivalent of 2 eggs)
4 Tbsp water
1 cup soymilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease muffin tins or fill with paper liners.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne, and salt together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whip egg replacer and water together until creamy. Combine egg replacer mixture, soymilk, and oil. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, sirring just enough to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon mixture into muffin pan, filling them 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Moving.

I do not think anyone is more interesting to draw than my painting professor.

"Don't waste the paint."

Vegan Chili.

I am loving this flannel weather. I am also loving that, now that it is flannel weather, it is acceptable to have things like soup and chili for dinner.. even though I eat soup all year round like a weirdo.

When I cook, I rarely ever precisely follow a recipe. And I cook a lot. It is difficult to write it down too, because I never measure anything [excluding baking]. Thus, here begins my effort doing that for these AWESOME things I make.


24 oz crushed tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
4 cups vegetable broth
1 white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrots
2 small zucchini
1 can corn
1 can chickpeas
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans [you can do any combination of beans]
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp cocoa powder, or a handful of chocolate chips
3 Tbsp chili powder
crushed red pepper to taste
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp vegetable oil


In vegetable oil, caramelize the onions and garlic. Add spices and cook for another two minutes, until fragrant. Add vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, then add all other ingredients besides the beans. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until flavors have blended and carrots are tender. Add beans and simmer for another 15 minutes.