Moving & Ode to Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar Testing

Behold, Irish Whiskey Cremes

I hope you can handle this oncoming sweet food porn extravaganza. I hope you like cookies.

It's time to collect the photos and memories of the past two years' worth of recipe testing for the latest Post Punk Kitchen authors classic: Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

by Isa Chandra Moskowtiz and Terry Hope Romero.

Testing for this book happened along with testing for Vegan Brunch, and I'm currently testing for Isa's current project, a weight loss cookbook! Go figure, after cupcakes and cookies.

I adored recipe testing once again for these ladies, and bombarding everyone I know with cookies during the process. Check out the cute tester photos in the back! Not mine, I totally missed the thread on this possibility, or you would have seen one of my cats sniffing a cookie...

White Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Biscotti

Once again, the Irish Whiskey Cremes

Linzertorte Thumbprints

These are near and dear to me and Evan.

Also, a catalyst in my-possibly-being-allergic-to-hazelnuts-worries...

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with vegan white chocolate chips)

And that's it!

Please head to my new domain GetSconedPDX.com for the rest of the testing photos!

I'll pop on here a couple more times to post its activity. I prefer the layout and usability wordpress offers, and never imagined I would be kicking myself so hard, for so many years, for picking this current address. But hey, people found it and hopefully you'll keep reading my posts at their new home!

Thank you!!!

Please bookmark my new site: GetSconedpdx.com

I Love Joanna Caeser Salad with Tempeh Croutons

Joanna's Caeser Salad with Tempeh Croutons

You don't see a lot of salads on this site, but I do eat them.  You know how it is - they've been a way of life since I was ten and ordering salads at chains with a side of ranch dressing and thinking croutons were great stuff while my sister ordered chicken strips.  

Come late spring and summer, when I shop exclusively for produce at the farmers markets, I find myself making a lot of simple and boring ones at home.  Sorry, it's true.  These days I order salads by default when dining with my office at restaurants with limited options, and while I typically choose to take Portland restaurants up on dishes that don't bore me, I'll give a shout out to the Caeser salad with Tempeh Bacon at Hungry Tiger Too as a salad I dig.

Therefore, when the incredible Joanna Vaught of Yellow Rose Recipes shared her new recipe for Caeser Salad with Tempeh Croutons, I thought, "Hell yes", "I love Joanna" and "I need to buy tempeh"!  It's going to be in her upcoming cookbook sequel, so stay tuned to her website for more on that.  Joanna posts about her cooking projects, life and comical and informative lists of tips featuring smart grocery shopping and seitan troubleshooting.  Her seitanic post includes a recipe for chicken seitan cutlets and if you've ever doubted your seitan making abilities or have yet to make it - read it!  There are only so many food blogs I can handle, and this is one I make sure to follow*.

Tempeh Croutons!!

Leftover Tempeh Croutons on Teese'd Pizza

with cherry tomatoes, kale raab, maittake mushrooms, garlic, kalamata olives and homemade marinara.

Last night I went to Paradox Cafe for a dinner meeting and ordered a hot salad with tofu.  Okay, #2 with tofu, which is really a stir fry with tossed with seasoned potatoes.  Wholesome.

*Disclaimer:  Fine, I'll out myself as being actual friends with Joanna Vaught, on and off the internet. Not to boast too much, but earlier today we exchanged emails about last night's episode of LOST that included multiple exclamation points, questions marks and my repeated love and respect for Mr. Linus and her squealing over the previews for next week.  She rules, and so does the Caeser!  A non-boring salad I'd make again, for sure.

An examination of Portland Soy Lattes.

This Portland girl has been back to her missed city for a week now.  She wandered around sunny downtown Phoenix with her shades for a few days for work and wasn't feeling it.  Scoping out the immediate hotel-dominated area, she had a so so Vegetable Platter (minus the bread with butter) at 1130 Grill, crappy veganized pasta with crappier mixed vegetables that totally came from a freezer at a place that needs to go unnamed it's so unmentionable and a delicious meal of Coconut Curry Tofu with plantains and red beans & rice at Breadfruit, a cool Jamaican restaurant that will be featured as a travel review on Stumptown Vegans in the immediate future.

 

For now, an photo essay ala Urban Vegan of recent soy lattes in Portland, OR.

Is it starting out on the wrong foot if I admit I don't remember where the hell this was from? 

jd + COFFEE

I've always enjoyed the taste of coffee even if my stomach and head don't cherish the caffeine associated.  No matter.  In recent months, much thanks to the prompting of Evan of Bjorked Off!, this girl's come to welcome the treat of a well crafted soy latte back into her life.  

I've had a dramatic relationship with coffee culture over the past few years.  I do have respect for the barista profession, and dig that Portland is a town where people want to work with coffee and consider it a craft.  In high school, I made crappy cappuccinos with espresso from pods before the Starbucks invasion of the late 1990s on suburban Long Island.  I don't support corporate coffee chains - this is Portland, where I can drink locally roasted beans at independent shops in every part of of town.  

Check out this article on the New Portland Micro Roasters from last month's MIX magazine for a a read if this is striking your fancy. Onto the photos!

Latte from Barista Coffeeshop. 

Barista is a new coffeeshop in the Pearl District, opened by renowned Portland barista Billy Wilson, formerly of Albina Press.  The best I've ever had.  Swoon.  etc.

Stumptown, downtown

First the first time I can remember, I actually scored a table was able to sit down with my latte and the Portland Mercury.

Tiny's in SE

From Sweetpea Baking Co.  

Audra made this with coconut and I think, chocolate.  

It was lovely as heck.

The not-so-elusive Karla of Veganshizzle and a latte and bagel of her own.  

I just found this back in my Flickr stream and thought it appropriate.  Sweet Pea serves Stumptown and you have your choice of sugary goodies made with care to accompany your beverage.  

From Albina Press, SE

The latte that's still somewhat in front of me, from Coffee Plant, downtown.

Mocha + Black Sheep Bakery cobbler bar from Portland Coffee House, downtown.

I haven't been back in months.  That's all.

Evan at Tiny's with a soy latte.  I wouldn't want someone to be devastated if they weren't featured here...

What reasonable latte drinker doesn't appreciate hearts and swirls?

Hmmmmm

The barista at Opposable Thumb was trying something on this?  

It's a peppermint hot chocolate.

Woops, straight up cup of Stumptown and a Monkeywrench

Snickerdoodle.  I've got to give my devotion to Sweetpea's doodles...

From Cellar Door.  A favorite - they roast their own beans in small batches and they turn into Portobello Vegan Trattoria come evening~

This may not be pretty, but overlook the desire for latte art and trust me, it was actually wonderful.  From Spella Caffe coffee cart, downtown, also a local roaster.

The cart.

You don't like coffee?  Eat some cookies.  

Lazy Samoans (Toasted Coconut Chocolate Cookies)

From Terry & Isa's upcoming and officially named 

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

I'm oh, so, curious to try a hemp latte soon....

Sweet; Grilling

Sweet.  

Irish Whiskey Creme Kisses.  

Another Post Punk KitchenVegan Cookie Book tester.

The second Vegan Cookie book tester of the day - 

I made both of these to take to a fancy vegan dinner party last weekend.  

It was Indian themed and fabulous.

Espresso Fudge Brownies

Grilling.

I live in an apartment with no immediate place to grill outside, so I contently do all of my grilling in a  cast iron grill pan on the stove top.  I bought it almost 2 years ago for less than $15 at Ross and it's consistently fun to use.  I have a foreman grill stored somewhere but those lines and flavor do not compare. 

Sadly my handy and environmentally wise oil mister died so I've resorted to packaged olive oil spray again lately, but that's a poor excuse and I'm aiming to get a new one soon.  Briefly marinate some tofu or seitan, toss some veggies in oil/herbs/salt or dressing and bam, you have dinner to grill and eat alone, over pasta, grains or in a sandwich.  

On Sunday, I grilled the following for my lunch at work:

Grilled Golden Balsamic and Braggy Tofu, 

Asparagus with olive oil, coarse sea salt and pepper

Grilled Eggplant slices with olive oil and coarse sea salt.

Sandwiched withVegenaise, flavorless tomato that I picked out &  field greens on a french baguette.  Enough for two meals!

more...Sweet.

Nature's Path AgavePlus Granola.  

Their newest addition to the cereal game - with sunflower seeds and oats!  I received two boxes from the company and as Evan from Bjorked Off! knows, I rarely buy or eat cereal - but this stuff is great.  Not too sweet at all.  Personally I'll take agave over honey any day, ethics and flavor-wise.  I thought the sunflower seeds would annoy me, 

because they're just annoying, but they didn't~