Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Where to Eat in... Providence

Every so often I would like to feature a brief list of places I've found to eat vegan goodies in various locations. Today, Providence. This is list by no means complete (and I welcome any additions, of course).

Two eateries come to mind immediately when I think of Providence - Nice Slice and Wildflour.

Nice Slice
267 Thayer St
Providence, RI 02906
401.453.6423
www.niceslice.com

Nice Slice is right in the heart of Brown/RISD territory. This pizza joint has no trouble keeping up with the hipster vibe its surrounded by. A funky interior and friendly tattooed crew give this casual eatery a unique feel. Now down to business. This place is great. They have some of the best vegan pizza around... including a personal favorite: BBQ "chicken" pizza. They have 'regular' pizza for your dairy/meat loving friends. They also serve many gluten-free options. A great place to grab a bite to eat before heading off to WaterFire or the indie movie theater across the street. 


The infamous vegan BBQ chicken pizza!

Next on the hit list of vegan culinary temptations is Wildflour, a spiffy little bakery just outside of the hustle and bustle of downtown Providence in Pawtucket. 


Wildflour
727 East Avenue
Pawtucket, RI
401.475.4718
http://www.wildflourveganbakerycafe.com/


This place is a mind blowing spectrum of entirely vegan delights, from decadent to wholesome. They offer a wide selection of fresh juices and loose teas, as well as lovely coffee drinks and skillfully crafted vegan desserts.



While here, I sampled multiple items (for the benefit of the vegan populace...). This included the green tea and ginger cake and a intense peanut butter cup cupcake. Both could not have been better. I was tempted to take the whole place home with me.







Monday, August 8, 2011

Review: The Pulse - Somerville, MA

Have a craving for something not so nuts and berries? Want to indulge in some yummy vegan taste-a-likes? Look no further than Davis Square in Somerville.

The Pulse is a small restaurant with a casual atmosphere. Sometimes busy, sometimes not. But even if there is a line... wait. It really is worth it.

The Pulse Cafe
195 Elm St in Somerville, MA
http://thepulsecafe.com/

The Pulse specializes in diner-style vegan cuisine, from burgers and loaded fries to creamy milkshakes and cheesecake. On the weekends, they offer a vegan brunch. There is usually something gluten-free available for those who need it, and you can customize your meal by switching or adding sides, such as sauteed kale.


During my visit with an omni friend (who throughly enjoyed his experience and would recommend it to vegans and non-vegans alike), we tried a few different items. We started with the loaded fries, which were amazing, if heavy. These are fries with vegan cheese and sour cream and bacon. Decadent to say the least.


Next came a Caesar side salad. Get the regular size and add tofu and this makes a great meal - especially if you have just gorged yourself on loaded fries.


For the main dish, I tried the country fried chicken with roasted potatoes and kale. The "chicken" was astounding, as were the potatoes. The kale was a bit plain, but could easily be spruced up with some soy sauce or some such.

Finally, dessert! I had chocolate mint milkshake made with coconut cream based non-dairy ice cream. This was delicious but left me feeling like I had just consumed a pint on my own. So... moral of the story - leave room.

I have since gone back to The Pulse and I imagine I will continue to do so for as long as it exists.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Mini Pies




This recipe is the combination of three separate ones. All of them are listed below.

Essential you make each recipe in full. And then do the following:

Roll out your crusts and then cut circles out using whatever you can find in the right size to fill a normal sized muffin tin. Press the crust into the greased muffin tin. Pour pumpkin filling in and bake at 425* for about 20 minutes. Then top with pecan filling and bake at 350* for about 45 minutes. Voila, you have yumminess.

Each of these mini pies is only 200 calories.

Now the recipes:

FLAKY PIE CRUST

{Art of Vegan Baking p. 214}
Makes enough for 2 regular 9” bottom crust pies or 24 mini pies

Ingredients
2.5 cups flour
1 t confectioner’s sugar
½ t salt
½ cup veggie shortening
½ cup Earth Balance
1/3 cup + 1 T ice water

Preparation
In a medium bowl with fork, lightly stir together flour, sugar and salt. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut in margarine/shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle in cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition until pastry just holds together. With hands, shape pastry into ball (if it's a hot day you may have to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or so).

On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll larger ball into a 1/8 inch thick circle, 2 inches larger all around than pie plate. Roll half of circle onto rolling pin; transfer pastry to pie plate and unroll, easing into bottom and side of plate. Fill as recipe directs.

168 Calories per slice
112 Calories per mini pie serving


SOUTHERN-STYLE PECAN PIE
{ Post-punk Kitchen }
Makes one 9” pie that serves eight or 24 mini pies

Ingredients

1 pre-baked pie crust

2 cups of lightly roasted pecans, chopped

1/3 cup of agave syrup

3/4 cup Maple syrup

1 T vanilla extract

1 T grated ginger

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 t arrowroot powder

3 T of ground flax seeds

1/3 cup of soy milk

Preparation

Pre-heat to 350 degrees

Put the syrups, salt, extract, and ginger into a sauce pan and simmer
for about five minutes. The let it cool to room temp.

Mix the soy milk with the flax and arrowroot and then blend
with the syrups in a blender or food processor. Put
the pecans into a mixing bowl and combine with the mixture. Then
pour the filling into the pie crust and place into oven.


Ingredients:

  • 3/4 pound silken (soft) tofu
  • 1 16 ounce can pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp molasses
  • 1 pre-made pie crust

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients, except for pie crust, in a food process or blender and process until smooth. Pour into pie crust.
Bake for one hour.


Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes until the filling is thick. Serve. Enjoy.

348 Calories per slice
170 Calories per mini pie

Saturday, October 17, 2009

OATMEAL DARK CHOCOLATE PECAN COOKIES

vegan - low sodium
Makes 42 cookies (or there about)



Obviously, these are cookies. Cookies are not meant to be healthful. That said, I tried to make these a little more health friendly in several ways:
  • I cut the called for sugar in half
  • I used half the butter and replaced the other half with applesauce
  • I chopped the nuts finer so I could use less of them, but still have lots of nuts in every cookie
  • I made the cookies more bite-sized. This helps with portion control.

Ingredients

2 T ground flaxseed + 6 T of water, blended until creamy (this replaces the 2 eggs)
1/2 cup of Earth Balance
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 t vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup oat bran
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (check for milkfat!)

Preparation

Oven at 350*

1 - Cream the sugar and 'butter'. Then add in applesauce, vanilla, and flaxseed goo.

2 - In a different bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients, except chips and nuts.

3 - Combine the two bowls, then slowly fold in tasty chips and nuts.

4 - Scoop little 1 tablespoon balls on to greased tray, these won't spread too much, so don't worry.

5 - Bake until bottoms are golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.

6 - Eat and Savor.

Nutrition per serving (1 cookie) 70 calories; 6g total fat; 0mg cholesterol; 25mg sodium; 6g carbohydrates; 1g fiber; 3g sugar; 1g protein