Back in November I asked you to pray for my dear hubby's certification test. We've been waiting on pins and needles for the results (at least I have!). We got the news last Friday that he did not pass. I think I was more upset than he was at the news. Since that time, we have been praying, talking and listening a lot. God is good. He is working to perfect our characters and that's what's most important. My dear hubby says that he is disappointed by the results, but he is thankful that the Lord is working in him to have peace. We have grown so much during this waiting time. So we feel that the Lord has answered our prayers, just not in the way we would have thought. We are going to take some time to go away, pray and listen for His voice speaking to us. I am also so thankful for our families and friends who have been so supportive and encouraging. I feel like this is going to be a year of prayer and fasting for our family!
Not passing the test isn't the end of the world, but having that certification is an added confirmation to his practice. He can take it again, as many times as he needs to, but it's a very expensive test, so we'll be praying about that too. We both want to thank you all so much for your prayers. They were felt and appreciated. Please continue to keep our family in prayer as we seek to know the Lord's will for our future. We will continue to praise Him for His goodness, and we'll be praying for you too!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Carob Pudding
I am a chocolate lover, and it has been hard to switch to carob. My dear hubby has no problem with carob, so I decided to make this pie. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was! Even my sister who is quite hesitant about carob really liked it. Now that's saying something! My friend in California gave me this recipe. Her church had just completed a CHIP program, and she got it from their cookbook.
1 3/4 cup soymilk
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup cornstarch
2Tbs roasted carob powder
1Tbs Roma, Pero or Caffix
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup dairy free malt-sweetened carob chips
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup soymilk
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup cornstarch
2Tbs roasted carob powder
1Tbs Roma, Pero or Caffix
1/4 tsp salt
- Combine these in an unheated saucepan
- Mix to dissolve cornstarch
- Cook and Stir over medium heat until pudding bubbles and thickens
- Remove from heat.
1/3 cup dairy free malt-sweetened carob chips
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Add the above to the pudding and mix well.
- Cool slightly
- Pour into pre-baked crust and chill ( I used a graham cracker crust rather than a regular pastry crust, and it worked well.)
Monday, January 5, 2009
Vegan Eggnog Cheesecake
I'm a sucker for anything that says "cheesecake", it's one of my favorite desserts. This one got mixed reviews. My mother and I loved it. My dear hubby and sister were like, "ehh, it's okay...". They're not big fans of rum flavoring, and you can definitely taste it in this recipe! If it's too much, just use less rum flavoring or more of the vanilla flavoring.
1 12.3-ounce package extra firm light silken tofu
1 8-ounce package Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegan eggnog (see note)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons brandy or rum (I used rum flavoring)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, packed (I'm not that good...I used regular nutmeg, not freshly ground!)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 prepared graham cracker or oatmeal cookie crust
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Drain the tofu and put it and the Tofutti cream cheese into your food processor. Blend until smooth. Add the sugar and eggnog, and process again until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients (except crust) and process until completely smooth, about 3 more minutes. Pour into the pie crust and bake in the middle of the oven for about 55 minutes (do not allow to brown). Filling will be slightly jiggly, not completely set until chilled.
Remove from oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate until completely chilled (the longer, the better). Serve sprinkled with additional grated nutmeg.
Note: You may use vanilla soymilk instead of eggnog. Just increase the brandy to 3 tablespoons and the nutmeg to 1 teaspoon and add an additional two teaspoons of sugar.
FatFree Vegan Kitchen is one of my favorite websites for recipes. She has wonderful pictures and good results...check it out!
Okay, next up surprisingly was a winner with everyone....Carob Pudding Pie! Stay tuned.....
Recipe courtesy of:
Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
1 12.3-ounce package extra firm light silken tofu
1 8-ounce package Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegan eggnog (see note)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons brandy or rum (I used rum flavoring)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, packed (I'm not that good...I used regular nutmeg, not freshly ground!)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 prepared graham cracker or oatmeal cookie crust
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Drain the tofu and put it and the Tofutti cream cheese into your food processor. Blend until smooth. Add the sugar and eggnog, and process again until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients (except crust) and process until completely smooth, about 3 more minutes. Pour into the pie crust and bake in the middle of the oven for about 55 minutes (do not allow to brown). Filling will be slightly jiggly, not completely set until chilled.
Remove from oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate until completely chilled (the longer, the better). Serve sprinkled with additional grated nutmeg.
Note: You may use vanilla soymilk instead of eggnog. Just increase the brandy to 3 tablespoons and the nutmeg to 1 teaspoon and add an additional two teaspoons of sugar.
FatFree Vegan Kitchen is one of my favorite websites for recipes. She has wonderful pictures and good results...check it out!
Okay, next up surprisingly was a winner with everyone....Carob Pudding Pie! Stay tuned.....
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Kitchen Tast Test Continued
On today's Kitchen Taste Test: Vegan Pecan Pie.
As my sister said in her blog, I did post a a recipe for a vegan pecan pie, but it was not the pie shown in her pictures from Christmas. This is the recipe for the pie in her pictures. The first recipe, is from Mountain People's Market Co-Op and Kitchen. This recipe, from Bryanna's Vegan Feast , was recommended to me, and I do like it. What's the difference between the two? Well, if you are wanting a pecan pie that is, "like grandma used to make", then you want Bryanna's. It has the filling that is most similar to an original pecan pie. The first recipe that I listed, it's more like....I'd say a caramel pie with pecans. It uses barley malt syrup that makes it thick and....well...caramel like. That's the best I can describe it. I like them both, but they very different from each other. Since I listed Mountain People's recipe once already, here's Bryanna's:
Bryanna's Vegan Pecan Pie
You have a choice of sweeteners:
1. 3/4 cup water PLUS 3/4 cup light unbleached cane sugar (Florida Crystals is what I use) AND 1/2 cup brown sugar packed. OR 1 and 1/2 cup maple syrup
2. 3/4 cup of water
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 41/2 Tbs cold water
5. 2Tbs vegan margarine
6. 1tsp pure vanilla extract
7. 1-2 cups toasted unsalted pecan halves (I use 2 cups. 1 cup I chop and add to the filling and the second cup I put on top of the pie after I put it in the pie shell.)
8. 9"pie crust, unbaked
STEPS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Poke the pie crust all over with the tines of a fork and pre-bake for 3 minutes. Remove from oven to a rack.
In a medium saucepan combine either the water and sugar mixture OR the maple syrup with the second 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add the salt and the dissolved cornstarch, whisking vigorously. Stir and cook over high heat just until the mixture thickens and is clear. Remove from the heat and stir in the margarine and the vanilla-stir until the margarine is melted. The mixture will still be fairly liquid.
Pour this into the pre-baked pie shell. Arrange the pecan halves on top, pressing them down into the mixture a little. Place the pie in the middle of the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes. The filling will still be "jiggly"-don't worry; it will set as it cools. Cool on a rack for about 1 and 1/2 hours, then refrigerate until thoroughly cooled and set.
Like I said, I add 1 cup of chopped pecans to the filling before going in the pie shell and then put the remaining 1 cup on top of the pie. That's my thing, but you make it how you like it best!
Next on Kitchen Taste Test......Vegan Eggnog cheesecake! Yumm!
As my sister said in her blog, I did post a a recipe for a vegan pecan pie, but it was not the pie shown in her pictures from Christmas. This is the recipe for the pie in her pictures. The first recipe, is from Mountain People's Market Co-Op and Kitchen. This recipe, from Bryanna's Vegan Feast , was recommended to me, and I do like it. What's the difference between the two? Well, if you are wanting a pecan pie that is, "like grandma used to make", then you want Bryanna's. It has the filling that is most similar to an original pecan pie. The first recipe that I listed, it's more like....I'd say a caramel pie with pecans. It uses barley malt syrup that makes it thick and....well...caramel like. That's the best I can describe it. I like them both, but they very different from each other. Since I listed Mountain People's recipe once already, here's Bryanna's:
Bryanna's Vegan Pecan Pie
You have a choice of sweeteners:
1. 3/4 cup water PLUS 3/4 cup light unbleached cane sugar (Florida Crystals is what I use) AND 1/2 cup brown sugar packed. OR 1 and 1/2 cup maple syrup
2. 3/4 cup of water
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 41/2 Tbs cold water
5. 2Tbs vegan margarine
6. 1tsp pure vanilla extract
7. 1-2 cups toasted unsalted pecan halves (I use 2 cups. 1 cup I chop and add to the filling and the second cup I put on top of the pie after I put it in the pie shell.)
8. 9"pie crust, unbaked
STEPS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Poke the pie crust all over with the tines of a fork and pre-bake for 3 minutes. Remove from oven to a rack.
In a medium saucepan combine either the water and sugar mixture OR the maple syrup with the second 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add the salt and the dissolved cornstarch, whisking vigorously. Stir and cook over high heat just until the mixture thickens and is clear. Remove from the heat and stir in the margarine and the vanilla-stir until the margarine is melted. The mixture will still be fairly liquid.
Pour this into the pre-baked pie shell. Arrange the pecan halves on top, pressing them down into the mixture a little. Place the pie in the middle of the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes. The filling will still be "jiggly"-don't worry; it will set as it cools. Cool on a rack for about 1 and 1/2 hours, then refrigerate until thoroughly cooled and set.
Like I said, I add 1 cup of chopped pecans to the filling before going in the pie shell and then put the remaining 1 cup on top of the pie. That's my thing, but you make it how you like it best!
Next on Kitchen Taste Test......Vegan Eggnog cheesecake! Yumm!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Kitchen Taste Test
Here is the recipe for the German Carob Cake we had for Christmas dinner. I got this recipe from a friend, and I don't know what cook book she got it from. If I did, I would provide the appropriate credit. Anyway, I like this recipe, because I'm not much of a carob fan, but I like this cake. I'm still working on it, because it's a little dry to me. I added 1/2 a cup of unsweetened applesauce and it helped. I think I'll add even more next time.
German Carob Cake
3 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2Tbs Ener-G baking powder or 1 Tbs Rumford baking powder
2 cups Sucanat or turbinado sugar ( I just use the Florida crystals)
1tsp salt
6Tbs carob powder
1Tbs powdered coffee substitute (Roma, Postum, Caffix)
2/3 cup unrefined canola oil
2 cups water
2tsp vanilla extract
and I added 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce. You may add more to make it a more moist cake.
STEPS:
Walnut-Coconut Frosting
Bring to a boil in a small saucepan:
3/4 cup nut milk or soy milk
1tsp vanilla
1Tbs almond butter
1Tbs cornstarch
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
Stir constantly until thickened. Add:
1 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Cool slightly before spreading on cakes or bars.
German Carob Cake
3 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2Tbs Ener-G baking powder or 1 Tbs Rumford baking powder
2 cups Sucanat or turbinado sugar ( I just use the Florida crystals)
1tsp salt
6Tbs carob powder
1Tbs powdered coffee substitute (Roma, Postum, Caffix)
2/3 cup unrefined canola oil
2 cups water
2tsp vanilla extract
and I added 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce. You may add more to make it a more moist cake.
STEPS:
- Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another.
- Combine liquid to dry ingredients and mix until moist and most lumps have disappeared.
- Pour into two 9-inch cake pans and bake immediately in preheated 350 degree oven. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.
Walnut-Coconut Frosting
Bring to a boil in a small saucepan:
3/4 cup nut milk or soy milk
1tsp vanilla
1Tbs almond butter
1Tbs cornstarch
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
Stir constantly until thickened. Add:
1 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Cool slightly before spreading on cakes or bars.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year!
God is good! He has brought us through another year. To me, it's kind of exciting to see what the Lord is going to do for us in 2009. My dear hubby and I had a "party" last night to celebrate the new year. We made a fire in the fireplace, played games, ate popcorn and cookies and ended it with a wonderful worship together ( a real rip roaring time, to be sure!) We did this to celebrate the fresh start 2009 brings us. 2008 was a hard year, but I am thankful that I can look back and see how the Lord brought us through. I am confident He will do that and more in this new year. I look forward to it! I hope that you do too.
Oh...and by the way...for those who read my sister's blog, the vegan dessert recipes are on their way.....
Oh...and by the way...for those who read my sister's blog, the vegan dessert recipes are on their way.....
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