Friday night I wasn't feeling so good. Now, I see it was a precursor to what would be an absolutely horrid weekend (non-work related ER trip, broken car, lady burdens, etc). The only beacons of light were these pancakes and wedding dress shopping with my best bud. Not necessarily in that order, but just, you know.
Well anyways, on Saturday morning I woke up, rolled over and what is the first thing I see? The jar of crystallized ginger slices that made their way to bed with me because my tummy was feeling sad. "Yum, ginger!"
I knew two things during that moment of ignorant bliss with regards of what was to come. We should have pancakes for breakfast and these ginger slices definitely needed to be incorporated.
These. Pancakes. Are. So. Good. I might make them for dinner tonight. Seriously. Except, I'm out of flour and I have no car...so...maybe not.
Some of my prior pancake-scapades were pretty lackluster (you didn't get to see them), but these pancakes are perfect. They are so light and fluffy and have the absolute perfect texture. Sweetened with maple syrup and speckled with chewy bits of candied ginger, these pancakes will be the highlight of your weekend! My new favorite breakfast!
Maple Ginger Pancakes
Inspired by my freakish obsession with ginger
Serves 2 (7 medium pancakes)
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. crystallized ginger slices, minced (plus a little extra for garnish)
In a medium bowl whisk together the first five ingredients.
Make a little hole within the flour mixture and add in the syrup and the water. Stir gently a few times, then add in the chopped ginger and stir until just combined. There might be sprays of flour and that's okay. Do not overmix.
Over low, heat a large frying pan. Coat with a nonstick cooking spray. Once the pan is heated, pour in 1/4 cup of the batter. Allow to cook until it starts to form bubbles, then coat the top of the pancake with the nonstick cooking spray and flip. Allow to cook until browned and cooked through.
Repeat with the remainder of the batter. This will make about seven medium pancakes.
Serve warm and topped with a slathering of vegan butter, a splash of maple syrup and garnished with chopped candied ginger.
And here is bob just taking in the morning...before the bummer-storm.
Let he without sin cast the first stone, or something like that. Britney Spears – Perfume Maybe I'll have a meltdown, too. BRecipe Card
In case you don't know, Fall in Alaska lasts about three hours. Yep. The leaves pretty much turn ugly yellow right before your eyes, then fall off and you're left with sad, naked trees. There's nothing lovely about it. No beautiful colors, nothing. Nope. Go to Vermont for that.
So how does an Alaskan know it's Fall (besides the time of the year, obviously), it rains incessantly, for like three weeks straight. Flood warnings will appear on the news and the chilly morning air will bite right through your scrub pants. Okay, that last bit may be just according to me. But oh the rain, and just when you think it's over...more rain. Am I right, Alaskans? Yes. Luckily, I baked these cookies to warm the house and fill it with a delicious and proper Fall smell. No rotting leaf smell here. Just sweet pumpkin pie...but what's that, I smell cookies as well! Yes.
These are Pumpkin Pie Molasses Ginger Cookies and they are as delectable as they sound. I might make them for Thanksgiving this year instead of a pumpkin pie. They're that good. Like a ginger molasses cookie but sooo much better. Enlivened with pumpkin pie spice and crystallized ginger bits, these soft molasses cookies are what Fall is made of.
In case you plan on using a chicken egg instead of a flax seed egg, allow me to enlighten you with this video that demonstrates how the Journal of Atherosclerosis (yes there's a journal for that) found a "...similar exponential increase in carotid artery plaque buildup found for smokers and egg eaters." Say what? Eggs? No, thank you I think I'll pass.
You'll be delighted to find out how the American Egg Board attempted to bribe a prominent Yale physician to disagree with the study. The physician refused, so in the most rational and obvious of choices, the egg industry had a fake physician (that they made up) try to discredit the study. Nice. It's really touching stuff. Makes you feel all good and wholesome about buying eggs from the store right? Um, no.
The takeaway? Try a flax seed egg. Just try it once. Pretend you're a hippie and do it for Halloween, I don't care. It won't kill you, though those chicken eggs probably aren't helping you out so much. Hey, don't hate the messenger. For all the goodness of flax though, check out this treasure trove on all things flax. Flax...not so exciting, but it does the body good.
Yes, the irony of this being a dessert post is not lost on me. Cookies are a necessity, though. Eggs are not.
Enlivened with pumpkin pie spice, and crystallized ginger chunks these soft molasses cookies are what fall is made of.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
2 ½ Tbsp. water
½ cup vegan butter, room temperature
1 cup vegan granulated sugar
½ cup canned pumpkin
¼ cup molasses
1 tsp. Kahlua (or vanilla extract)
2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. kosher salt (or ½ tsp. table salt)
¼ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
¼ cup vegan granulated sugar for rolling, adjust as needed
Instructions
In a small bowl combine the ground flaxseed and water. Allow to rest in fridge until ready to use.
In a large electric mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the flax egg, pumpkin, molasses, and Kahlua and beat for several minutes, until fluffy and smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except the last two ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients very slowly while the electric mixer is on low. Mix until just combined, then fold in the chopped crystallized ginger.
Cover, and allow the dough to chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven 350° F. Roll one tablespoon of dough in the sugar. The dough is pretty sticky, so don't worry about having perfectly round balls (snicker).
Drop 12 cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Put the remaining dough back in the fridge while they bake.
The cookies will come out quite soft when done baking. Allow them to rest on the baking sheet out of the oven for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Yield: 24 cookies
Save Money!
I buy my ground flax seed here where I find it for almost half the price!
It’s only $0.27 per ounce vs $.54 per ounce at our local grocery store.
So, I got Todd a grill for our one year anniversary and by gosh we've been using it! Even with the monster mosquitos we've been having. Anyways, I've got a slam dunk, delish grilled dinner to share! Quinoa With Grilled Veggies & Ginger Nectarine Sauce, whew! I'm sorry I couldn't shorten it. I tried people! I even had to leave out tempeh from the title. Poor tempeh. Poor, poor tempeh.
I know Todd and myself were a little clueless at first as to what to grill, you know, being vegan and all. A grill is for like, meat...right? Ummm, yea if you want to put yourself at an increased risk for cancer! And if you're pregnant, stay away! Even just smelling grilled meat apparently poses the same risk as consuming it. Seriously. Check that shit out here and specifically regarding breast cancer, here. Really, you need to check it out. Don't be mad at me, I'm just the messenger and hey, a mammographer too. Anywho, never fear, this recipe was simply perfect and it will not increase your risk of developing cancer. That's right people grilled tempeh and vegetables did not have cancer-producing substances. This was actually tested. So grill away on those veggies! Oh, the more we know.
So, you can thank me for helping keep you happy and healthy. This grilled dish is light yet satisfying, and fresh but with a smoky influence. The ginger nectarine sauce lends a creamy richness. So keep cancer at bay and grill away. Hey, a rhyme!
Quinoa With Grilled Veggies & Ginger Nectarine Sauce
1 head of cauliflower (cut special - see instructions)
1 block of tempeh, cut into 4 triangles
3 large handful of leafy greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc.)
Marinade
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
juice from 1 lime
a splash of soy sauce
4 green onions, chopped large
1/2 tsp. chili paste
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
2 cloves of garlic, cut in half
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
sprinkle of salt and pepper
Sauce
1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
1 shallot, chopped large
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
1 tsp. miso paste
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup olive oil
sprinkle of salt and pepper
Base
1 cup dry quinoa (or couscous, lentils, etc.)
* First a note about the grapeseed oil. It's used in grilling because of it's high smoke point. I recommend purchasing it if you don't have it. It's probably just hanging out by the olive oil in your local store. No biggie.
To start, wash the cauliflower. Cut off any excess stem on the bottom just very slightly, ensuring to leave the stem intact. I learned this the hard way. My poor cauliflower broke apart because I did not have this insight and thus you'll see the tin foil with small pieces of cauliflower in it. Or should you prefer your cauliflower this way, then go ahead and chop that stem off! Cut the tempeh into four large triangles. Arrange both in a large casserole dish and set aside.
Onto the marinade. Don't skip this. It's super easy and it only needs 30 minutes. To quote Nike, "Just Do It". Add all the marinade ingredients into the blender and blend, blend, blend until silky smooth. Pour the marinade over the cauliflower and tempeh and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
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While the marinade is doing it's thing, get ready to make the sauce. This is also, obviously, very simple. Just throw all the ingredients into the blender and blend until very smooth. If you want a thinner sauce, feel free to add a little bit of water. Taste and adjust according to your personal preference.
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Onto the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa with cold water. Spray a small pot with nonstick cooking spray and add 2 cups of water, followed by 1 cup of dry quinoa and a dash of salt. Over high, bring to a boil then turn to low, cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Once finished, remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork.
After the marinating is finished, and while the quinoa is cooking place the cauliflower steaks and tempeh directly on the grill. For smaller pieces, place them on a large piece of tinfoil, this is also where the greens will be wilted. Allow the cauliflower and tempeh to cook about 5 minutes on each side, depending on your grill. It could take a bit longer, just don't let it burn.
If you have a grill, you probably know how to use it. When the larger pieces are done, removed them. The smaller pieces will take longer than the larger pieces. When the little pieces are almost done, pile on the leafy greens over them. Allow the greens to wilt, this should take just a few minutes. You can use the grill cover if you desire. There's no real science to this people, just grill as you please! Don't forget about the quinoa though! We grilled us some yummy corn, too.
To serve, lay a third of the quinoa on a plate followed by the leafy greens, then the cauliflower and tempeh and finally, drizzle with the ginger nectarine sauce. Garnish with black sesame seeds and sliced green onions if you wish!
Grilling vegan never tasted so good. Who needs meat when you can have this? Save an animal and yourself.
Quinoa With Grilled Veggies & Ginger Nectarine Sauce
Author: Katie - Produce On Parade
Serves: 3-4
This grilled dish is light yet satisfying, and fresh but with a smoky influence. The ginger nectarine sauce lends a wonderful richness.
Ingredients
---Grillings---
1 head of cauliflower (cut special - see instructions)
1 block of tempeh, cut into 4 triangles
3 large handful of leafy greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc.)
---Marinade---
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
juice from 1 lime
a splash of soy sauce
4 green onions, chopped large
1/2 tsp. chili paste
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
2 cloves of garlic, cut in half
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
sprinkle of salt and pepper
---Sauce---
1 nectarine, pitted and sliced
1 shallot, chopped large
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped large
1 tsp. miso paste
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup olive oil
sprinkle of salt and pepper
---Base---
1 cup dry quinoa (or couscous, lentils, etc.)
Instructions
Wash the cauliflower and cut off any excess stem on the bottom just very slightly, ensuring to leave the stem intact.
Cut the tempeh into four large triangles. Arrange both the tempeh and cauliflower in a large casserole dish and set aside.
For the marinade, add all the ingredients into the blender and blend. Pour it over the cauliflower and tempeh and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
For the sauce, add all the ingredients into the blender and blend until very smooth. If you want a thinner sauce, feel free to add a little bit of water.
For the quinoa, rinse with cold water. Spray a small pot with nonstick cooking spray, add 2 cups water and 1 cup dry quinoa and a dash of salt.
Over high, bring to a boil then simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Once finished, remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork.
Place the cauliflower steaks and tempeh directly on the grill. For smaller pieces, place them on a large piece of tinfoil, this is also where the greens will be wilted.
Allow the cauliflower and tempeh to cook about 5 minutes on each.
When the little pieces are almost done, pile on the leafy greens over them. Allow the greens to wilt, this should take just a few minutes.
To serve, lay a third of the quinoa on a plate followed by the leafy greens, then the cauliflower and tempeh and finally, drizzle with the ginger nectarine sauce.
Garnish with black sesame seeds and sliced green onions if you wish!
Some of my prior pancake-scapades were pretty lackluster (you didn't get to see them), but these pancakes are perfect. They are so light and fluffy and have the absolute perfect texture. Sweetened with maple syrup and speckled with chewy bits of candied ginger, these pancakes will be the highlight of your weekend! My new favorite breakfast! 
Make a little hole within the flour mixture and add in the syrup and the water. Stir gently a few times, then add in the chopped ginger and stir until just combined. There might be sprays of flour and that's okay. Do not overmix. 
Over low, heat a large frying pan. Coat with a nonstick cooking spray. Once the pan is heated, pour in 1/4 cup of the batter. Allow to cook until it starts to form bubbles, then coat the top of the pancake with the nonstick cooking spray and flip. Allow to cook until browned and cooked through.
Repeat with the remainder of the batter. This will make about seven medium pancakes. 
Serve warm and topped with a slathering of vegan butter, a splash of maple syrup and garnished with chopped candied ginger. 
And here is bob just taking in the morning...before the bummer-storm.
