Friday Five - June 7th, 2013

 1. Vegan Animal Cracker Truffles

Say WHAT??????  These look similar to the cookie dough truffles I posted here but with cream cheese and desecrated animal crackers.

I'm adding these to my must try list.

2. Adorable Felt pieces by Clairey Lou Creations

Check out these super cute felt creations in Clairey Lou Creations' etsy shop.

3. Milk Bottle Measuring cups from Anthropologie

It's cute and saves space which, as a condo dweller, is very important to me.

4. DIY Ice Cream Parlour Design - by Eat, Drink, Chic 

This week I had to design a summer newsletter for my work and I decided that "Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlours" would be my inspiration.  A google search turned up a post by Amy Moss on her blog Eat Drink Chic.  She designed a "Make Your Own Sundae" buffet, which first, is an awesome idea for a party.  Second, her designs are beautiful.  Here are just a few pictures:

5. Popsicle iPhone Case

A theme started developing as I to began compile my list of five favourites.  I guess thanks to that newsletter I had summer on my mind.

I love how the popsicle stick can be removed or used as a stand.

Alex & Arthur

Granola. It's.....GREAT!

Since I haven’t posted a recipe in a while, I figured I share one of my favourite breakfast recipes: Granola!  This recipe is for a coconut granola base and you can add goodies to it after. The recipe is pretty forgiving so you can even change up some of the ingredients in the base.
 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup of chopped almonds (or another nut of your choosing.  Pecans, walnuts…the choice is yours)
• 1 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
• ¼ cup of honey
• ¼ cup of packed brown sugar for convenience but I normally use a mixture of molasses and coconut sugar.
• 2 tblsp of coconut oil (you can use a different type if you don’t have coconut.  Vegetable perhaps)
• 2 tblsps of real maple syrup (the last time I made this I didn’t have any so I used agave but you could just use more honey)
• 1 ½ tsps of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of cinnamon (or to taste – I usually add more)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees         

Combine dry ingredients (oats, nuts, and coconut in a bowl).

Combine honey, sugar, oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.  Stir

Combine dry mixture with syrup and mix.

Place your granola on a shallow baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  You’ll need to stir the mixture occasionally or it’ll burn.  I tried leaving it for 10 minutes without stirring and that’s max.  Try mixing every 7-8 minutes.

Take out of the oven.  Cool and then enjoy.

You can add all sorts of delicious goodies to your granola.  Some of the things I've added (after cooking) are: bran buds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, flax or chia seeds, dried fruit, chocolate chunks, the SKY'S THE LIMIT!

Since I don't have a picture of the granola to share with you, and because my blog has been lacking some Arthur, here's a picture of my handsome fellow perched on my shoulder like a parrot.  He likes to climb all over me when we're in the car.

 

Happy Baking!

Alex & Arthur

New York - Babycakes

When I was in New York I was able to visit the vegan bakery, Babycakes.  We almost didn't get to go because it wasn't close to any of the other places we wanted to visit (had to also fit in Dan's requests as we had both never been to NYC).  The morning before our flight I went on a solo mission to the bakery.  Boy am I ever glad I went -- so delicious.

 I wanted to say "One of everything please!" but I was by myself so there would be no way for me to carry it all.

Well obviously....

I picked up a salted caramel donut for Dan and grabbed myself a chocolate brownie cupcake with mint frosting (it was St. Patrick's Day so I needed something green).  I wish I got a better picture but there was a frosting massacre that occurred during transit.  The cupcake was delicious and they make the best donuts.  If they use the same base for all the different flavours I can confidentially say that whichever one you decide to try, it'll be yummy.

I also picked up a cookbook (I have this one and really like it).  I'm so glad I got this book because as soon as I got home I wanted more treats.  On the back of the dust jacket there's an excerpt of Emily Deschanel going on about how delicious the mini-mounds bars are and I immediately wanted one.  A few days later I was able to make them -- 1) they're extremely easy to make and 2) so delicious!!

This is a terrible picture but trust me, if you like coconut definitely try this recipe out.  It's posted on the Babycakes blog, here.

I'll be posting more of my New York adventures in the future.  It's bittersweet looking at the pictures I took on my phone.  When the end of the trip came around I was happy to be going back home (I really missed Arthur) but now that I'm home I really wish I was back because there were so many things I wish we had time to see.  Excuse to go back!

Alex & Arthur

Cookie Dough Truffle Recipe - FINALLY!

So over two months ago I posted about super delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles that I made (here) and had committed to posting the recipe.  

I picked up this cookie book from one of my favourite stores Labour of Love.   Most of the recipes are pretty easy to make vegan and no baking means no egg required.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of non-dairy butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tblsp non-dairy milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 mini vegan chocolate chips

You'll also need 8 ounces of dark-chocolate candy coating.  I just used melted chocolate chips.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy  2. Mix in milk, vanilla and then stir in flour and salt and mix on low speed until incorporated 3. Stir in chocolate chips and cover and chill for about 30 minutes.  You're just looking for it to become firm enough to handle -- it'll look like this:

4. Roll into 1-inch balls and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet 5. Place in freezer for 15 minutes  6. While you're waiting, melt candy coating or chocolate.  When the dough balls are ready dip and ensure they're completely covered with chocolate. 

Once the chocolate has hardened, you'll have something that looks like the picture below.  I'm going to warn you, these are super delicious.  I ate so many.

Enjoy!

Alex & Arthur