Get more potassium.

That was what my doctor said.

I've been low in potassium for a few years now. 

I know.

Eat a banana. 

Believe me, I try, but I don't like them.

A banana is the best, most convenient way to get the right amount daily potassium.  

But, it's a banana.

Sigh.

I love most fruit, but really don't like the texture of a banana.

Most of the time I find it either underripe or too ripe...either way it's gross.

But my doctor said that I have to, so I only have one solution...

Banana bread.

I love banana bread, so this could be an excellent solution to my deficiency. 

Banana Bread

Origin: unknown

(I've been using it for as long as I can remember.)

Servings: makes two 9x5 loaf pans

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs or 2 egg equivalent of Bob's Red Mill egg replacer

4-5 ripe bananas mashed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon (or more)

2 cups flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Prepare two loaf pans by lining them with parchment paper and then set aside.

3. Blend sugar, eggs, and bananas together.

4. Add oil and vanilla- blend well.

5. Add soda, baking powder, salt and flour, then blend until smooth.

6. Pour into prepared pans.

7. Bake for 50 minutes or until you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean.

Enjoy your boost of potassium! 

This is definitely way better than eating a banana 

and my doctor will be proud of me too.

Puppy Bowl 2014

Super Bowl Sunday

I know that I should care about the game,
even on some microscopic level,
especially since the Seattle Seahawks are playing...But I don't.
Not even a little bit.
I enjoy football.
I do, but only if I'm actually at the game.
The crowds, music, the entire atmosphere helps me to also become a cheering fan.
The only thing that I am excited about,
only happens on Super Bowl Sunday...
The Puppy Bowl!
Who couldn't love it?!
I guess heartless people might not,
But I don't like them anyway.
It's puppies!
Puppies make me happy,
And puppies playing together...well, that's just perfect!

So what could make the Puppy Bowl better? 

Well, cookies of course! 

If you're looking for an easy frosting, try this Royal Icing recipe. 

Royal Icing:

adapted from Food Network

• 1 pound (3-3/4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
• 4 teaspoons powdered egg whites 
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• water to thin

Mix all of the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer, until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. 

Now, don't worry Vegans. 

I have a perfect alternative for you too!

I wouldn't forget you. :)

Vegan Royal Icing

Recipe and directions from Your Daily Vegan

http://www.yourdailyvegan.com/2012/12/20/the-ultimate-vegan-sugar-cut-out-cookie-with-royal-icing/

  It’s also off-white in color, but you can add color to it if you like.

• 1 cup organic powdered sugar
  
• 2 tbsp of non-dairy milk
• 2 tsp of light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Place sugar in bowl, add non-dairy milk and whisk like hell until smooth.  Add in extracts and corn syrup.  Whisk some more.  Icing will be smooth, shiny, and a little runny.  You don’t want it really runny or the icing won’t stick to the cookies.  Icing will be hard with a shiny finish once dry.  You can either dip cookies into icing, or use this icing in a pastry bag.  Easy.

I really like to dip my cookies into frosting and let the excess drip off. It leaves the cookie with a beautiful smooth surface for addition decoration or just as they are. 

Now go! Make some of your own. 

Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and frost away. 

And look, you still have time to make some Puppy Bowl cookies of your own! 

Enjoy! 

Baked Donuts- Simply Vegan

It's time to make the donuts!
I mean really?
Who doesn't love donuts?!

Over the summer I found a brand-new donut pan at a garage sale.

Which is my favorite way to find "new" baking dishes...

I just wait until a fade finishes being the "new, hot" thing, 

then I swoop in and purchase those items from them.

It's a perfect relationship...

for me. 

As you know by now, 

I can't just make something according to the recipe. 

I need to mix it up.

And in this case, 

since these donuts were going to a fence build in McMinnville, 

I wanted to make these vegan.

Baked Donuts-Simply Vegan

-Chocolate Dipped 

-Vanilla Dipped with Sparkles

Modified from Mom's Need to Know

INGREDIENTS (yields 12)

Donut batter:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
• 2 egg equivalent of Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
• 2 tbsp melted vegan butter

Vanilla Glaze:

• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Glaze:

2 cup powdered sugar

3 tbsp coconut milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

2 tbls. Hershey's cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add lemon juice or vinegar to coconut milk (buttermilk substitute).
2. Preheat oven to 425. Spray donut pan with non-stick spray
3. Combine dry donut ingredients in large bowl.
4. Add coconut milk, egg replacer and melted vegan butter.
5. Stir just until well mixed.
6. Fill each ring of the donut pan about 2/3, try not to overfill!
7. Bake about 8 minutes, until tops rebound when pressed.
8. Leave donut in pan for about a couple minutes.
9. Remove from pan and set on cooling rack.
10. In a small bowl just big enough to dip donuts, combine glaze ingredients and stir until smooth.
11. Dip top of donut into topping of choice.
12. Hold above bowl allowing excess glaze to drip off and back in the bowl.
13. Place donut on wax paper or return to cooling rack.
14. Add sprinkles, if wanted, the glaze dries quickly.
15. Wait a few minutes for the glaze to set.

According to the taste-testers at the fence build for Fences For Fido, these were a tasty treat.

I think that donuts will be a part of my treats in the future too.

Of course, I will be trying different flavors!  Who wants to eat the same thing every build?!

Well, the volunteers might, but I definitely like to mix it up.

ENJOY!!

Vegan Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Espresso, it's a beautiful thing to smell in the morning.
I remember as a kid, knowing that morning was nearing
because the smell of coffee would be in the air.
Prepped the night before,
so that my dad could greet the day with a cup
already in his hand before his feet hit the ground.
In our house, coffee meant a new day.
A new start.
So when I was thinking about the next cookie to bake,
it was natural to look around my kitchen to see what
ingredients to make and see my canister of coffee.
Now, I'm not as picky as some, but I love my coffee.
It's like a warm hug in the morning.

Do you know what else is a hug?
Yep, you guessed it.
A cookie.
Cookies are love in my world.
If I give you cookies, I'm giving you a loving hug.
Can't you feel it?
So to me, blending coffee and cookies is a perfect pair.
And according to my taste-testers is a delicious pair too.

Vegan Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe adapted from my mom's cookie classic
Serves a hungry group of Fences for Fido Volunteers

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg equivalent of Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 or 2 tsp of finely ground coffee or espresso
1 & 3/4 cups flour
1 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cream together all ingredients, except flour and chocolate chips.
4. Add flour and mix well.
5. Scoop cookie dough onto the lined cookie sheet. I use a medium-sized cookie scoop for perfect cookies.
6. Bake cookies for 10-13 minutes.
7. Let them cool for a couple minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooking rack.  Then take them to your favorite activity and share with your friends.  

This recipe is a slight adaptation of my mom's chocolate chip cookie.

It's fabulous just as it is, but with espresso it can be considered a breakfast food.

Cookies can always be breakfast. Right?!

Vegan Orange-Cranberry Bread

Sometimes I look around my kitchen and realize that I need to go shopping.
There's not much left.
But I don't have time and I really don't want go out again when I've just gotten home.
But there's nothing.
No chocolate chips.
No chips of any kind...
So I guess cookies are out, at least chocolate chip or any kind of chip are out of question.
So what am I going to make for the fence build?

Hunting through my kitchen,
I was thinking about sweet breads...
What, or what could I make?
Then, I saw the answer...CRANBERRIES!
Thank goodness I always keep dried fruits on hand.
Once I saw the cranberries, I knew exactly what to make..
Orange-Cranberry Bread.
Delicious!

If you're like me and keep a variety of fruit on hand,
then sweet breads are a easy solution to a baking dilemma.
And to make every tummy happy,
I make it vegan.

Vegan Orange-Cranberry Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 egg equivalent with Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
1 cup sugar
2 tbls vegan butter or shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange extract
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup oil

Orange Icing Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp orange extract
water to dissolve and make glaze

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Sift to combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. Use a mixer to blend together the egg replacer, sugar, butter, vanilla, orange extract and orange juice in a medium bowl.
3. Pour wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.
4. Add oil and mix well.
5. Pour batter into a well greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Let the bread cool completely before adding the orange icing.
8.Let the icing set up before slicing.
Enjoy!

This recipe is a little slice of heaven on a cold Fall morning.
That's a promise. :)
Now enjoy a glimpse of joy and a tutu or two on a Keizer Fence Build for Fences For Fido.

Meet Diesel the Houdini, but a Houdini no more!

 Happy tummies and a happy unchained dog = Very happy Lori :)

Oh Starbucks...what have you done?

I don't get it.
Why change a good thing?
So, I understand change if it makes something better,
but this is definitely not better.
Nothing is better without a pumpkin scone or pumpkin bread.
I judge the beginning of fall by the amount of
pumpkin items I can find, and consume.
But when I arrived at Starbucks for my first dose of pumpkin overload,
I was extremely disappointed.
Yes, they had my beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte.
But a pumpkin scone? No.
Pumpkin bread?
No, not a crumb.
So what is a girl to do?!
Well, after the tears dried,
I stepped into my kitchen and worked out my feelings by baking.
I think the bread that came out of the oven was as close to perfection as possible.
But I guess you'll have to make it and try it yourself.

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

This bread is just like Starbucks used to make it, 

but actually it's way better than that. 

It's perfectly vegan too!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Egg replacer for 2 eggs (I use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• water to mix sugar into a glaze

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Prepare a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan by spraying with non-stick spray and lined with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl add all of the dry ingredients; flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, salt, and spices. Sift the dry ingredients together. 
4. In your stand mixer, blend together the egg replacer, the oil, and the vanilla. 
5. Once the liquid ingredients are mixed well, begin to add the flour mixture in.  Make sure that you mix in gradually.  Stir until the lumps are out. 
6. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan. 
7. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of bread. 
8. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center of the loaf. 
9. Cool for approximately 5 minutes in the pan, and then turn the pumpkin bread onto a cooling rack. Allow bread to completely cool before you glaze and slice.

**Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer is a great substitute for vegans and vegetarians, but be aware that it does contain gluten so it's not good for all substitutions.

German Pancakes-Chambers' Style

German Pancakes.

Dutch Babies. 

Puffed Pancakes. 

Saturday Morning Special.

Whatever you call them,
I just all them delicious. 

They're a pancake, but with a crunchy edge that my brother and I would fight over.

As a kid, we would see the pie plates out and know that it was German Pancake morning. 

In our world, there wasn't a better breakfast than that.

While visiting my dear friend in Seattle, I thought that I'd test these pancakes out on a new audience. Though I had taste-tested (and still do) these often, there's really nothing more enjoyable to me than watching someone else try something I've made. I live for it.  So I had a captive audience that I knew would be honest...brutally if needed. 6 & 4 year-olds tend to be that way.  Plus, I could show my friend how crazy easy these are to make! And they are crazy easy, but the hungry mouths don't need to know that.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1/4 tsp baking powder

1cup flour

1 & 1/4 cup skim milk- 

        if you don't have skim, it's ok. Just add 1cup milk and 1/4 cup water...

        it's a little trick that I've learned.

Butter

***Easy vegan substitutes: Use Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer, almond or soy milk, and vegan butter.  Still works very well and yummy too.  Also, shhhh....no one will know the difference.
 

Toppings:

Any pancake toppings you LOVE!

The Chambers Way:

-Syrup

-Lemon Juice

-Powdered Sugar

Directions:

You can make this in two 9 inch glass pie plates or a glass 9 x 13 pan.
I'm sure you can cook it in other pans, but this is what I use.
Go for it and let me know what else works.
The key is a hot pan and a hot oven.

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and place your baking dish in at the same time. You want your baking dish to heat up with the oven.

2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

3. When the oven and baking dish are heated, take the dish out and place a pat of butter in the hot pan. The butter should sizzle, if not place it back in the oven until the butter has melted.

4. Pour the batter into the sizzling pan and immediately back into the oven.

5. Bake for 15-18 minutes depending on pan size and oven.

6. When the edges are crispy and remove from the oven.

7. Serve immediately. 

This won't be a problem, because your kids/family/loved ones
will be hovering around the kitchen because of the delicious smells.

To serve this in the classic Chambers' Style, you will make a puddle of syrup on the pancake, then drop lemon juice into the puddle.  Finally, top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.  Dig in and I promise, you'll love these and make them often.

Enjoy!