Pumpkin Cornbread - vegan

A few weeks ago, I boldly promised to keep this a "pumpkin-spice-anything-free zone," and I'm proud to say that's still true. I will admit, however, that I noticed a loophole and decided to take advantage of it. You see, I didn't outlaw actual pumpkin. Sneaky, you accuse? Yep. But, in my defense, loopholes are a proud American tradition, and it is technically fall now, so pumpkin is actually appropriate.

I came across a recipe for a honey pumpkin cornbread, started making it, realized my cornmeal was not-so-good, ran and got a new bag, finished the recipe, and after all of that, was supremely disappointed. It was dry. It was boring. It tasted like pumpkin but not at all like cornbread. Or honey, particularly, come to think of it. I knew I liked the idea in general, so I basically tore the recipe up (well, virtually tore it up. and by "tore it up" I mean I no longer have it Pinned) and started all over.

I switched from honey to maple syrup and reduced the volume. I got rid of an egg and some pumpkin-y spices. I introduced creamed corn to the ingredient list and reduced the milk. A few other tweaks, and I was ready to try again.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. This pumpkin cornbread blends and balances both flavors so that you can really tell each is there. It's moist (even the next day) and not too sweet. In short, it's all the good things that cornbread should be.


Pumpkin Cornbread - vegan
a Short & Sweets original

If you make this when there is still fresh corn available, I think a handful of fresh kernels would be a tasty addition. I see no reason why you couldn't make either mini or jumbo muffins and adjust the bake time accordingly. Also, I haven't tried myself, but they should freeze just fine if well-wrapped.

If you are looking for a breakfast treat, drizzle some maple syrup over a warm muffin. It's fabulous on a fall morning. Otherwise, I recommend pairing these with black bean sweet potato chili or red bean chili. Or, if you want to go pumpkin-crazy, pumpkin chili. 

3/4 C non-dairy milk

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 C yellow cornmeal
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil or vegan butter)
3/4 C canned pumpkin
3/4 C creamed corn
1/4 C maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)


In a medium-sized non-reactive bowl or large glass measuring cup, combine non-dairy milk and vinegar. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a standard, 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl, stir flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk oil, pumpkin, creamed corn, and maple syrup into the milk+vinegar mixture. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Divide batter evenly among muffin tins. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

Cool for 5 or 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and serve immediately or allow to cool completely on a wire rack. In an airtight container, muffins stay moist for 3-4 days. 

Breakfast Salad - gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian

Hi all- I'm back again. For those of you who don't follow along on Instagram or Facebook, Mr Official Taster and I went on a pretty epic trip. One Phillies game. Two weddings. Three flights. Nine States. Ten days. Seven beds to rest our weary heads. 

Let me be clear: it was fun and I'm so glad we went. The weddings were lovely, the flights uneventful. We visited with so many people, some of whom we hadn't seen in years and years and years. But, boy, were we glad to get home to stinky puppies, piles of mail, laundry for days, and our own kitchen where we could make instead of buy food and snack when we felt like it. 

Vegetarian Tomato Paella - vegan & gluten free

It's a funny time of year. The sun is warm but the air is cool. I planted mums this weekend even as my peppers are putting forth a second harvest. In grocery stores, watermelons perch next to pumpkins, and at the farmers' market, tomatoes are in their final, uber-productive throes. 

A few of us realize it and also remember that prices always come down in September because so many people, and certainly the farmers, are sick and tired of tomatoes. They feel like the've been overrun and the end is a million miles bushels away. Good thing for us, eh? It means I bought a giant box and made a big batch (or two) of sauce to squirrel away in the freezer. 

Fruit Can Be Your Side Salad Too

"I wish someone would invent a new starch."

That was me. Last week, Mr Official Taster diagnosed me with Vegetarian Fatigue. It was pretty spot on. I was tired and uncreative regarding dinners. I don't know if you've had this problem, but it's kind of annoying. My go-to formula has been a grain (rice, pasta, quinoa, potatoes, etc) with a vegetable in some sort of sauce-like concoction plus a spinach salad with toppings du jour. On some days, a muffin or some fresh bread might spice up the menu.

Anyway, I've been slowly climbing out (a fun trip helped!) of the hole, and one of my revelations was that fruit salad is a legitimate alternative to salad-salad, especially if you've already added some spinach and stuff to your pasta sauce.

So today isn't really a recipe, but rather a suggestion: add some fruit to your dinner, especially now that it's so readily available. Play with combinations of bananas, berries, kiwis, grapes, melons, citrus...you know, fruits.

Quinoa, Tomato & Avocado Salad - vegan & gluten free

I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day. I worked for part of the day, which was less than relaxing, but Mr Official Taster and I did have an enjoyable dinner in the city with some Seattle friends. Our trip was even (relatively) traffic free. Take that, I-95!

This salad is super simple to throw together, whether for a quick weeknight supper or for a summer picnic. To make it a more satisfying main course, consider adding some tofu (or sausage would be tasty), cheese, steamed spinach, or any other summer veggies.


Quinoa, Tomato & Avocado Salad - vegan & gluten free
This recipe serves 2-4 as a side. There's no reason not to make a larger amount to serve as a main course or to a larger group of people.  The oil and vinegar are totally optional- I like it with and without.

1/2 C quinoa (uncooked)
1 avocado, cubed
1-2 tomatoes or a handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced
avocado or olive oil (optional)
balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar (optional)
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Measure quinoa into a fine mesh strainer. Rinse thoroughly and place in a small saucepan. Add 1 C water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer. Cook 15 minutes, or until the seeds (yes, it's a seed, not a grain!) are translucent and the germ has spiraled out from each one. Turn off heat. Use the fine mesh strainer again to strain the quinoa+water. Gently press quinoa to force out as much water and return to pot. Fluff quinoa with a fork and leave in the hot pan about 15 minutes. That way it won't get mushy.

Add avocado and tomato to cooled quinoa. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil and vinegar, if using. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Parmesan Muffins

I am lucky in that while I do have to stay away from cow milk and cow milk products, I've found that my body can handle the cheeses and yogurt made from sheep and goat milk. It's true of several members of my family as well - the theory being that it's the different proteins that our bodies react to, and different animal milk has different proteins and we're only sensitive to cows' unique protein. I don't know if that's completely scientifically accurate or not, but I'm glad of the result. And the result is that I can eat these muffins when I make them with nondairy milk and Romano cheese, which is made of sheeps' milk.

They are savory and light and a great side at dinner. Also, oh-so-easy and snackable.


Parmesan Romano Muffins
adapted from Gourmet (sniffle), January 2005

These could handle slightly increased amounts of the garlic and herbs, if you'd like, but they are quite good as is.

2 oz fresh grated parmesan (I used Romano), about 1 C
1 1/2 C (7 oz) flour
2 Tbsp (1 oz) sugar
2 tsp (.33 oz) baking powder
1/4 tsp (.12 oz) baking soda
1 tsp finely chopped garlic (about 1 clove)
1 tsp (.25 oz) finely chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 tsp (.19 oz) salt
1/2 tsp (.1 oz) black pepper
2 large eggs
3/4 C (12 oz) milk or nondairy milk
1/2 C (8 oz) extra virgin olive oil

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F.

Whisk together three-quarters of the cheese, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk together eggs, milk, and olive oil in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

Divide among 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Sprinkle with remaining quarter of cheese and bake until tester comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, remove from pan, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Spring Herb Quinoa Pancakes - gluten free

After two days of blabbing on and on, today I bring you a beautifully simple and healthy recipe. I was able to use green onions, mint, and parsley from my own little herb collection, which I'm positive makes it tastier and healthier somehow.

Pro tip: chocolate mint might not be the best choice for this dish. It's the only kind I have on hand, though, mainly because Mr Official Taster picked it up at the nursery. When I pointed out that plain might be more practical, he responded, "But we have an ice cream maker now," and I was sold. Pushover.

Spring Herb Quinoa Pancakes - gluten free
adapted from Two Tarts

These are quite good. I've been making the full batch and cooking a few at a time for lunches. The mixture saves well in the fridge for up to 5 days or so. I think they would pair well with some sort of yogurt concoction, like raita or even plain Greek yogurt. If you're new to quinoa, this is a good how-to.

Yield: 8-10 patties
2 C cooked quinoa (approx 3/4 C dry)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp chopped green onion
2 Tbsp chopped mint (optional. I liked it better without)
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 C grated strong cheese (I used Romano)
1/2 C gluten free (or regular) bread crumbs*
1/4 tsp salt

In a small/medium bowl, mix together everything but the quinoa. Fold in the quinoa until the mixture is evenly moist.

Heat a frying pan over medium high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. While the pan is heating, form patties using a spoon and your hand. Try to make them all a similar size for even cooking, and aim for 1/2-1-inch thick. Place in frying pan and cook, turning halfway through, about 3 minutes on each side. Don't disturb them right at the beginning, or you might encourage them to fall apart. Garnish with additional fresh herbs and/or cheese.

*I imagine that if gluten free bread crumbs are commercially available, they are super expensive. The easier and better solution is to make your own. Break up some stale bread into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse until you reach your desired texture. Store in an airtight jar. Maybe up to a month? Mine have never lasted that long.

Baked Lemon Risotto - vegan & gluten free

Loyal readers know that risotto is a staple here at Chez Sweets. So when I came across this recipe on Joy the Baker, I was definitely intrigued by the lack of stirring required. Creamy deliciousness with 10 minutes of work? Yes, please.

The options for variations are endless. Try adding some fresh veggies, wine, lemon juice, or a different set of herbs and spices. This risotto pairs well with a green salad or fresh (and now coming into season!!) asparagus. 

Baked Lemon Risotto - vegan & gluten free
adapted from Joy the Baker

I halved this recipe and baked it in a 7x10-inch baking pan, baked at the same temperature and for the same time, and it turned out beautifully.  I also increased the lemon zest and added caramelized onions (see my how-to here) to Joy's version. 

1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon zest
2 tsp dried or fresh thyme
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 C Arborio rice
32 ounces vegetable broth
1 1/4 C water

1/2 C caramelized onions (optional)

1 C grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)
salt to taste
more cheese, lemon zest, parsley and/or thyme leaves for garnish

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent - about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, add lemon zest, thyme leaves, chili flakes, and black pepper. Toss together and set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss together uncooked rice, cheese if using, and the onion mixture. Spread evenly in your prepared baking pan. Add vegetable stock and water and stir gently to ensure even cooking.

Place in the oven and allow to cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir briefly, and cook for another 17-20 minutes. Rice is done when liquid is absorbed and mixture is cooked through and creamy. If rice mixture is still crunchy, add more hot water or hot chicken stock about 1/3 cup at a time.

When completely cooked, remove pan from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. If you'd like, add salt to taste and top with lemon zest, fresh thyme, black pepper, parsley and/or cheese.

To reheat leftovers, I put a couple teaspoons of water in a small saucepan, added risotto, and cooked on medium until heated through. Stir frequently.

Red Pepper & Tofu Risotto - vegan & gluten free

It rained this morning, meaning no construction is happening outside today. It is gloriously quiet! A little bit of sunshine, no barking dogs, and no sledgehammers = a good day

I tried making rolls again yesterday (yes, the same as Monday), and this time I followed my bread-baking instincts. As you can tell from the title of this post, they still did not turn out as well as I wanted. I checked Cookbooker, and no one had reviewed the recipe in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, but one person has reviewed it in How to Cook Everything. Sturlington didn't have good luck with this recipe either, which makes me feel better. 

Last night, I went with something familiar, risotto, and simply changed up the usual add ins. I loved the taste of the paella I made last week, so I used the paprika idea from that and combined it with the smokey flavor of roasted red pepper. Delicious! If you are wondering what to do with the remainder of the jar, I humbly suggest Romesco Sauce. 

Red Pepper & Tofu Risotto - vegan & gluten free

If you prefer the taste of fresh tofu to that of fried, simply omit the tofu-frying steps and stir in your cubed tofu at the same time as the peppers so it warms up in the rice.

1 C vegetable stock
2 C water
olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
salt to taste
1 C Arborio rice
1 C dry white wine

1 package tofu, drained and cubed*

1/2 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

roasted red pepper, diced**

paprika

fresh parsley, minced, for garnish
1/2 C finely grated Romano cheese (optional)

Bring the stock and water to a simmer in a small pot. Once boiling, reduce heat so it's just high enough to keep the broth warm. Once you've put the stock on the stove, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent (about 9 minutes). Turn the heat down slightly, so it's between medium and low.

Add the rice and stir frequently until the kernel ends are transparent (about 1 minute). Add the wine and, stirring frequently, simmer until the wine is completely absorbed by the rice. Pour in a 1 or 1.5 cups of stock, and stirring infrequently, cook until liquid is absorbed and the bottom of the pan is dry. Add more stock, about 1/2 C at a time, as needed to keep the bottom of the pan from drying out.  

Meanwhile, heat up another tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the tofu. Use a spatula to flip occasionally, with the goal of getting nicely browned sides on your cubes of tofu. 

Continue to cook the risotto, stirring frequently, until the grains of the rice are mostly cooked (I test by tasting). Add paprika to taste (a teaspoon?), red peppers, and salt to taste. Cook for a few minutes more, until the rice is cooked through and no liquid remains in the bottom of the pan. Stir in tofu, cheese if using, and top with minced parsley.

We usually have a salad with ours, which is a nice contrast to the creamy risotto.

*For best frying results, you want to get out as much water as possible. I drain the tofu first in the package. Then, I place the square on a clean kitchen towel that's been folded in half. Wrap the rest of the towel around the tofu and press down to squeeze water out. Reposition the tofu onto a dry part of the towel and repeat. 

**I have a jar of roasted red peppers in the fridge that I dip into periodically for dinner. I used a chunk (maybe 1/2 a pepper??), but feel free to add as much or as little as you'd like or have on hand.

Spinach Paella with Lemon - vegan & gluten free

Some of you lovely people who took my survey last month indicated that you wanted to see more savory dishes. Apparently you also have trouble answering the age old question, "What's for dinner?" You may have noticed this month that there have been more non-dessert recipes appearing here, like chili, pasta, a snack, and a salad. 

I have also done some revamping of the recipe index, and I've gone back through my old posts checking and updating tags. The big addition to the index is at the very bottom, where, if none of the titles caught your fancy, you can browse by tag. I have you all hooked up to view recipes by diet, dish, event, or season. So, for example, you can look at all recipes I've tagged as dairy free, or breakfast, or birthday, or winter. Have a look and tell me what you think. I love comments or emails and always respond!

I have found that I've enjoyed the challenge! It's been fun to try out new recipes, and it's helped diversify dinner for me and Mr. Official Taster. This paella recipe is both easy and delicious. There's also some downtime involved (i.e. when it's in the oven), which I used to panic because I didn't have an idea for a side and then give up and decide we didn't really need one. Salads are my go-to side, but since there was already spinach involved, I was stymied. Clearly, I need to branch out. Good thing there are still a few cupcakes.

Spinach Paella with Lemon - vegan & gluten free
adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

This worked well as our main course, but it would also work as a side. If you're having a meat dish for dinner, the rich and smokey flavor means it can hold its own. 
As written, this recipe served two of us for dinner. Simply double to make 4-6 servings.

1 C brown rice*
2 C vegetable stock or water
Approx. 1/2 lb fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Minced zest of 1 lemon
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Large pinch saffron threads (optional)
1 tsp smoked or other paprika
Minced parsley for garnish

In a small pot, bring several cups of salted water to a boil. Stir in the brown rice. The water should return to a boil almost immediately, and turn the heat down so that the rice is boiling along nicely. Don't stir the rice again, and leave it to cook for 12ish minutes. Pour off the water and reserve the rice. You can do this step up to an hour before you're ready to make the paella- it doesn't matter if the rice is warm when you add it.

Preheat the oven to 450F. Warm the stock in a pan. Toss the spinach in a bowl with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, lemon zest, and salt+pepper.

Warm about 2 Tbsp olive oil in an oven-proof 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Depending on your stove, you may need to turn the heat down to medium so things don't brown or cook too fast. Stir in the tomato paste, saffron if you're using it, and paprika and cook for another minute or two. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's shiny. (I know this sounds strange, but it really does get shiny, trust me). Pour in the warm stock, turn off the heat, and stir until just combined.

Put the spinach on top of the mixture (it's supposed to be fluffy. It will cook down) and scrape out the bottom of the bowl (you wouldn't want to miss any zest!). Put the pan in the oven, uncovered, and roast for 15 minutes. Check to see if the rice is dry and just tender. If yours is still somewhat wet like mine has been, cook for another 5 minutes. If it's dry but the rice is uncooked, add a small amount of stock, wine, or water. When the rice is ready, turn off the oven and let it sit for at least 5 minutes and up to 15 minutes.

Carefully (it's very hot! and heavy!) remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. If you like, put the pan over high heat on the stove for a few minutes to develop a bit of a bottom crust before serving.

*You can, of course, use white rice. If you do, you can skip the precooking step and add it directly to the pan.

Avocado, Blood Orange & Spinach Salad - vegan & gluten free

If you are anything like most Americans, you ate yourself silly on Sunday. I sure did. It was in the name of family and football, so it doesn't count. right? I do feel slightly more ok about it because we didn't snack on chips and whatnot all afternoon. We just had really good deep dish pizza, salad, and dessert. I just ate some a lot of everything. 

So if you're feeling like you overindulged, this salad is the perfect antidote, and it's nice and seasonal. ish. I know avocados have been on sale in grocery stores, and winter = citrus fruit time. It's light and refreshing, and is good on it's own as a light lunch or as a side to something heartier, like chili. You may or may not have helpers when you prepare it, but I'm confident you'll have help eating it.

Avocado, Blood Orange & Spinach Salad - vegan & gluten free
These amounts are just what I used to make myself a lunch salad. Obviously, adjust as needed. To dress, I sprinkled some sea salt over the avocados and drizzled a little avocado oil over the salad. Because of the juicy oranges and the creamy avocados, I don't think it needs too much extra.

a couple handfuls of spinach, or other greens
1/2 an avocado, skin and pit removed, sliced
1/2 a blood orange or other citrus fruit, divided into segments*
sea salt and avocado oil to dress (optional)

Arrange spinach on a plate. Add avocado slices and orange pieces. Sprinkle salt on avocados and drizzle avocado oil over the whole thing. Enjoy!

*Any citrus fruit you'd like will work here - oranges, grapefruits, tangelos, etc. Also, for pictures, I got the blood orange segments out of their membranes because they are so much prettier that way. However, when I make it just to eat? The membranes stay on because I think it's a pain to take them off.

Guacamole - vegan & gluten free

Happy Friday! I am glad the weekend is tomorrow (or tonight if you're ambitious). I am looking forward to hanging out with Mr Official Taster, wrapping up the unpacking, and spending some time with my cousin and his lovely family on Sunday. I think there will be a tv on in the background with some good commercials every couple of minutes every time the big guys need a water break between important plays.

Guacamole has somehow become a traditional Super Bowl food, and I'm not really sure how that happened since I can't tell how avocados, a traditionally tropical food, and football, a sport traditionally idyllically played in either snowstorms or on glorious fall afternoons, are related. But, I won't argue too hard because once I moved to the West Coast, I fell hard for avocados, and chips are just a handy vessel for getting them into my mouth. Thus: manly games = guacamole = I have something to care about during said game. It's a win-win.

Guacamole - vegan & free of just about everything
Everyone has an opinion on guacamole, and this is just the way I like mine. Feel free to ignore completely and carry on with whatever you always do. Unless that means buying it in a tub. If you buy it in a tub, stop doing that and make this.

ripe avocados, skin and pit removed
salt or sea salt
garlic powder
chili powder

I tend to make this when I need an afternoon snack, so I only use 1 avocado (2 or more if I have company). Put said avocado in a small bowl, and mash with a fork or an avocado thinger. If you like some chunks in your guac like I do, you won't have to mash very long if your fruit is ripe. Lightly sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. Mix well and taste. Add more seasoning if you so desire.

Serve with chips or use as a sandwich spread. Some fresh lime probably wouldn't be amiss if you're feeling feisty.

Corn and Tomato Scramble

As promised, today's post is this delicious, delicious side I made to go with the pesto ravioli. But to see "side" and automatically consign this scramble to "just a boring side" would be really unfair. It's fantastic. Seriously, go find fresh corn and tomatoes and make this tonight. Where I am, at least, both of these vegetables are in season and just right.

As in previous occasions, when I try a recipe from Gourmet, I didn't make a single change to the original, and so I'm simply linking you over to their recipe.

It's fast and delicious, easily halved or doubled, and the leftovers are great. It's excellent (eggcellent) scrambled with eggs, and I imagine it would be tasty as a version of bruschetta.

Why aren't you getting your veggies yet?