xo
Edited *** I scored way too deep so it looks a little ghetto ... but the flavour is there !! ;)
Sunday, 29 September 2013
Artisan Bread
After having my little melt down a few weeks ago I went online and signed up for a baking theory course at a local college. When I apply for baking school next year I'll be able to use these credits toward my certificate. The official title of the course is Baking and Pastry Arts Theory I and it teaches the science behind baking. I absolutely love it. We're only about three weeks in and I have already learned so much. The first unit is centred around fermentation and baking bread. I never even thought that bread making would be a part of the baking course but it makes perfect sense. The course inspired me to make my own straight bread dough recipe. It wasn't hard to make and turned out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, so basically perfect. I may have over kneaded the dough because the shape was a bit off so I'll still need to perfect it a bit before I post the official recipe. Here's a photo of my creation :) happy baking
xo
Edited *** I scored way too deep so it looks a little ghetto ... but the flavour is there !! ;)
xo
Edited *** I scored way too deep so it looks a little ghetto ... but the flavour is there !! ;)
Thursday, 5 September 2013
I Will Not Stop
Hello all !
I am still here baking and blogging :)
Well maybe less blogging ... For my loyal vegan readers I have gone back to vegetarian but I still eat as vegan as possible. Lately, my baking has been non- vegan because of birthday requests... but honestly I don't care much at this point as long as I'm baking, I'm happy.
Which leads me to the next self discovery. I HATE my current career choice. It literally sucks the life out of me. So I have decided to follow my passion and apply for pastry chef school.
Coming to this conclusion has made me very happy and I'm excited to follow this new path. I am 100% fed up with my field. I just want to be creative and get paid for it, I'm artsy .. what have been thinking all this time ?
I will be changing my career for the third time but well that's me.. I'm not going to stop until I go to work happy.
xoxo
I am still here baking and blogging :)
Well maybe less blogging ... For my loyal vegan readers I have gone back to vegetarian but I still eat as vegan as possible. Lately, my baking has been non- vegan because of birthday requests... but honestly I don't care much at this point as long as I'm baking, I'm happy.
Which leads me to the next self discovery. I HATE my current career choice. It literally sucks the life out of me. So I have decided to follow my passion and apply for pastry chef school.
Coming to this conclusion has made me very happy and I'm excited to follow this new path. I am 100% fed up with my field. I just want to be creative and get paid for it, I'm artsy .. what have been thinking all this time ?
I will be changing my career for the third time but well that's me.. I'm not going to stop until I go to work happy.
xoxo
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Happy Birthday to Meee
It was my birthday a few weeks ago and I made cupcakes!
I turned 26 this year and birthdays for me are really not the same as when I was a kid. It's kind of upsetting to have the magic of a birthday fade away because I have very fond memories of balloons, presents and even booze in the later years.
I just don't seem to care anymore though. I do enjoy aging because I find with each year that passes I discover a whole new set of frustrations and realizations. I think I'm coming closer to figuring it all out...
I do have a confession to make, I am going to shunned by the vegans, but I did break vegan over my birthday. BUT WAIT hear me out a bit. I've been feeling like absolute crap for the past few weeks. I feel sluggish and my digestion is off. I have learned a valuable lesson and I have no regrets. It's a life long learning process and I wish the vegans would just loosen up a bit. We all do what we can and I do believe every little bit counts. So I am dusting off my pants, picking myself back up again and starting over!
Luckily for my loyal vegan readers these yummy Chloe cupcakes ARE vegan and as decadent and delicious as a non-vegan cupcake.
Mint Cookies 'n' Cream Cupcakes
Chocolate cake topped with a creamy mint vanilla icing with chocolate cookie crunches.
Ease of recipe: 4/5
I think I may enter these cupcakes in a baking competition, first place for sure.
Overall Cooking Experience: 4/5
The icing calls for vegetable shortening. I have never worked with it before and it is GREASY. It took forever to wash out of the bowls and sink after but it gave the icing a dense and creamier texture.
Casey licked the icing off my fingers... she didn't mind the grease ;)
Final: 23/25
I made half the icing with the mint extract and the other half without because I have some picky people in my life (you know who you are) but overall this was a very successful cupcake recipe. They're not too sweet and full of flavour. Another Chloe must make :)
xo tash
Thursday, 4 July 2013
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
It's turning into a common theme for me to write "I've been a bad little blogger...." but it's oh so true AGAIN. I have been busy over the past few weeks with various things. I haven't really been baking because I have been caught up in my rollar coaster emotions. I have been taking some much needed time for myself by setting some personal goals. I've been trying to work out consistently by jogging a few times a week, lifting weights and going to hot yoga. I've come to enjoy working out, I really like how I feel after a nice long run.
The other day I was wasting time on Facebook and I came across a post from the Toronto Vegetarian Association asking people to join their team for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I thought this was a great opportunity to support a local organization and also set a fitness goal. The marathon has a 5k, half marathon and full marathon category. In order to challenge myself I have chosen to run the half marathon. I have started training and so far I can run around 6k. A half marathon is around 21k so I still have a bit more training but I am well on my way. I am raising money for The Toronto Vegetarian Association and I would be honoured if my Podkat fans would support me.
Here is a link to my page where you can sponsor me.
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1958408
xox tash
The other day I was wasting time on Facebook and I came across a post from the Toronto Vegetarian Association asking people to join their team for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I thought this was a great opportunity to support a local organization and also set a fitness goal. The marathon has a 5k, half marathon and full marathon category. In order to challenge myself I have chosen to run the half marathon. I have started training and so far I can run around 6k. A half marathon is around 21k so I still have a bit more training but I am well on my way. I am raising money for The Toronto Vegetarian Association and I would be honoured if my Podkat fans would support me.
Here is a link to my page where you can sponsor me.
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1958408
xox tash
Thursday, 6 June 2013
The Smaller The Cupcake, The More You Can Eat
I have been one bad little blogger lately. My cat Casey has been sick so all of my time and energy have been put into her. I have been cooking a lot but I haven't had the motivation to take pictures and write about my food.
I find every time I make the switch to vegan I develop an intense sweet tooth. I'm pretty certain I eat dark chocolate everyday and you can definitely find me in Bulk Barn at least once a week.
Today is my frist day off in awhile and I should really be running errands but my craving for chocolate took over... I dusted off the powdered sugar from my Chloe's Vegan Desserts book and found the perfect recipe.
I had most of the ingredients on hand and the recipe said it's low in calories, so Chloe's Yoga Cupcakes seemed a perfect fit for my chocolate fix.
I did not have enough white sugar so I used brown instead. I also did not have any canola oil so I melted Earth Balance. The recipe made way more than expected so I decided to get creative with some add ins. Some additional ingredients I used in some individual cupcakes are crunchy peanut butter, chopped pecans, chopped strawberries and shredded coconut. The shredded coconut I used in a mini cake because I had some extra batter left over but no extra cupcake tins. I also did not have any raspberries for the garnish.
The successful add in ingredients were the strawberries because they added moisture to the finished cupcake. The pecans added a nice crunch to the cupcake. I was really excited to try the peanut butter cupcakes because it's my favourite flavour combination but unfortunately it did not enhance the flavour at all. It just made the texture weird. The real success was the mini cake. It tasted better than the cupcakes and had more flavour. I think this has to do with the length of time in the oven. Do not over bake these cupcakes because they lose their moisture quickly. After the mini cake cooled I cut it in half and put a thin layer of chocolate ganache in the middle. Then I put it back together and iced the top of the cake.
I cut a mini piece of cake and devoured in 10 seconds. The moisture level is outstanding, I have a funny feeling my mini cake will disappear by the end of the day. In addition to the slice, I probably ate about 5 mini cupcakes... you know, for testing purposes.
So much for low calories.
Taste: 5/5
Friends/Family thoughts: 5/5
Likely hood to remake recipe: 5/5
I would make it in mini cake form with coconut and a middle layer of the ganache icing.
Overall Cooking Experience: 5/5
Bonus Casey Points: 0/1
Although Casey and I had fun taking photos with the Yoga Cupcakes she was not interested in smelling/ tasting these cupcakes!
Final: 25/25
I find every time I make the switch to vegan I develop an intense sweet tooth. I'm pretty certain I eat dark chocolate everyday and you can definitely find me in Bulk Barn at least once a week.
Today is my frist day off in awhile and I should really be running errands but my craving for chocolate took over... I dusted off the powdered sugar from my Chloe's Vegan Desserts book and found the perfect recipe.
I had most of the ingredients on hand and the recipe said it's low in calories, so Chloe's Yoga Cupcakes seemed a perfect fit for my chocolate fix.
I did not have enough white sugar so I used brown instead. I also did not have any canola oil so I melted Earth Balance. The recipe made way more than expected so I decided to get creative with some add ins. Some additional ingredients I used in some individual cupcakes are crunchy peanut butter, chopped pecans, chopped strawberries and shredded coconut. The shredded coconut I used in a mini cake because I had some extra batter left over but no extra cupcake tins. I also did not have any raspberries for the garnish.
The successful add in ingredients were the strawberries because they added moisture to the finished cupcake. The pecans added a nice crunch to the cupcake. I was really excited to try the peanut butter cupcakes because it's my favourite flavour combination but unfortunately it did not enhance the flavour at all. It just made the texture weird. The real success was the mini cake. It tasted better than the cupcakes and had more flavour. I think this has to do with the length of time in the oven. Do not over bake these cupcakes because they lose their moisture quickly. After the mini cake cooled I cut it in half and put a thin layer of chocolate ganache in the middle. Then I put it back together and iced the top of the cake.
I cut a mini piece of cake and devoured in 10 seconds. The moisture level is outstanding, I have a funny feeling my mini cake will disappear by the end of the day. In addition to the slice, I probably ate about 5 mini cupcakes... you know, for testing purposes.
So much for low calories.
The Yoga Cupcake
Chocolate cake with a dark chocolate ganache
Ease of recipe: 5/5
I would make it in mini cake form with coconut and a middle layer of the ganache icing.
Overall Cooking Experience: 5/5
Although Casey and I had fun taking photos with the Yoga Cupcakes she was not interested in smelling/ tasting these cupcakes!
Final: 25/25
I am amazed with this recipe, it's a must make!! But make sure you add the Natasha twist and sprinkle some unsweetened coconut onto the top of the uncooked cake/cupcake before baking. Also add the extra layer of ganache in the middle, you can thank me later ;)
Monday, 20 May 2013
me me me
Today I had a ME a day. I slept in and watched Mad Men until 11am, forced myself to go for a run and then I went on a sorbet mission. It was a mission because I walked for 45 minutes to an ice cream place, only to find out they just sell ice cream. All was not lost, I found a Starbucks and ordered an iced americano and then walked another 45 minutes (up hill) to get home. By the time I got home I was starving so I made the most delicious feast. While my sweet potatoes were cooking, I discovered dark chocolate and strawberries in my house. I decided chocolate covered strawberries would make up for the lack of sorbet... I've never actually made chocolate covered anything but how hard could it be? I melted down the chocolate in the microwave with some Earth Balance, dipped a few strawberries in it and then let them chill in the fridge. Since is was so beautiful outside, the cats and I had a lovely dinner on the patio.
What a fun day :)
This is half a cucumber chopped and seasoned with salt, pepper and vinegar. The sweet potatoes were steamed in tinfoil with garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and ginger. I grilled an Amy's California burger and served it with salsa and chopped avocado.
This is Buttons, she ran inside after this photo was taken.
This is Casey, of course.
Mmmm the chocolate covered strawberries
What a fun day :)
This is half a cucumber chopped and seasoned with salt, pepper and vinegar. The sweet potatoes were steamed in tinfoil with garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and ginger. I grilled an Amy's California burger and served it with salsa and chopped avocado.
I thought it was funny how my name turned out "Nafusha", haven't heard that one before....
Friday, 17 May 2013
Natasha Fraycat's Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Today I did something I've never done before, I baked without a recipe. I've been getting more comfortable cooking free style but baking is more complicated. This morning was different. I woke up feeling inspired.
I figured it would be best to start simple so I wrote down the basic make up of a chocolate chip cookie. After some research on the purpose of eggs and figuring out the difference between baking powder and baking soda, I came up with my perfect chocolate chip cookie !
I'm so proud of my litte ol' self :) I'm finally taking my knowledge and applying it to my own creations, how exciting! The baking possibilities are endless now.
Ingredients
Spelt Flour- 1 cup
Cinnamon- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg- 1/4 tsp
Baking Powder- 1/2 tsp
White Sugar- 1/4 cup
Brown Sugar- 1/3 cup
Earth Balance vegan butter- 1/2 cup
Ener-G egg replacer- 1 "egg"
Vanilla- 1/2 tsp + a dash more
Almond Milk- 1 tbsp
Rolled Oats- 1/2 cup
Vegan Dark Chocolate chips- 1/2 cup
Unsweetened Coconut shreds- 2 tbsp
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and baking powder in a separate bowl and put aside.
Mix on a low speed white sugar, brown sugar and butter for about 45 seconds.
Add the "egg" and mix for another 30 seconds.
Add the vanilla and almond milk and mix for another 30 seconds.
Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix on low until a dough forms, about 1 minute.
Fold in rolled oats until evenly mixed.
Fold in chocolate chips until evenly mixed.
Fold in the coconut shreds.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and divide batter into small (golf ball) sized balls. Make sure there is a distance of about 1 1/2 inches in between the balls of batter. Press the batter down with a fork. Put in the top rack of the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven or until edges of the cookies turn brown. Cool on a baking rack and enjoy :)
(These cookies are not suitable for cats, Casey just likes smelling them)
I figured it would be best to start simple so I wrote down the basic make up of a chocolate chip cookie. After some research on the purpose of eggs and figuring out the difference between baking powder and baking soda, I came up with my perfect chocolate chip cookie !
I'm so proud of my litte ol' self :) I'm finally taking my knowledge and applying it to my own creations, how exciting! The baking possibilities are endless now.
Ingredients
Spelt Flour- 1 cup
Cinnamon- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg- 1/4 tsp
Baking Powder- 1/2 tsp
White Sugar- 1/4 cup
Brown Sugar- 1/3 cup
Earth Balance vegan butter- 1/2 cup
Ener-G egg replacer- 1 "egg"
Vanilla- 1/2 tsp + a dash more
Almond Milk- 1 tbsp
Rolled Oats- 1/2 cup
Vegan Dark Chocolate chips- 1/2 cup
Unsweetened Coconut shreds- 2 tbsp
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and baking powder in a separate bowl and put aside.
Mix on a low speed white sugar, brown sugar and butter for about 45 seconds.
Add the "egg" and mix for another 30 seconds.
Add the vanilla and almond milk and mix for another 30 seconds.
Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix on low until a dough forms, about 1 minute.
Fold in rolled oats until evenly mixed.
Fold in chocolate chips until evenly mixed.
Fold in the coconut shreds.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and divide batter into small (golf ball) sized balls. Make sure there is a distance of about 1 1/2 inches in between the balls of batter. Press the batter down with a fork. Put in the top rack of the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven or until edges of the cookies turn brown. Cool on a baking rack and enjoy :)
(These cookies are not suitable for cats, Casey just likes smelling them)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)