Sweet Corn Soup

Sweet Corn Soup

Before the end of last summer, I went a little crazy at the farmers market. I couldn't live with the thought of not having sweet corn all winter. So, whats one to do? Buy as much as your small Brooklyn freezer could hold. Well, here we are, approaching farmers market season again, and still I have a freezer filled with corn. My corn idea didn't go as planned, so I needed to find a way to use all my corn, and fast. I came across a recipe from, Love Soup by Anna Thomas and I loved everything about it. My Vegan Gut feel's lucky to get a head start on the coming summer season. And this soup is as sweet as long lazy summer days. 

What you will need:

• Ten ears sweet white or yellow corn (about five pounds) 
• 3 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth 
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons nondairy unsalted butter or olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• sea salt 
• 2 1/4 cups unsweetened *nondairy milk
• Ground or coarse white or red pepper, or if you like a little heat, use red pepper flakes
• finely chopped cilantro leaves as garnish (optional)

* I always use unsweetened almond milk anytime milk is called.


Main Supplies:

• 1 heavy bottom small skillet 
• 1 large soup pot (5 qt)
• Corn peeler
• Blender or hand blender

Let's make sweet soup!

1. Clean corn free of all leaves and silk. 
2. Peel corn kernels, set aside in bowl. (1)
3. Give all the corn kernels a light and gentle mix until they're all detached. (2)
4. Remove one cup of corn kernels and set aside separately. We will add this into pureed soup. 
5. Bring stock to a simmer on medium heat, add corn and garlic. Keep covered for 15 minutes. (3)
6. Melt two tablespoons of butter on low to medium heat in a small skillet. (4)
7. Add chopped onion with a pinch of salt. (5)
8. Let cook for 20 - 25 minutes, mixing occasionally, until they are soft and caramelized. (6)
9. Once onions are done, add them to soup with milk. Mix well. (7)
10. Let soup cool for about 15 minutes. (8)
11. Using a blender, puree soup for ten minutes until it's thick and smooth. (9)
12. Once soup is pureed, add corn kernels that were set aside from earlier. mix in. (10)
13. Reheat soup over medium heat for ten minutes. 
14. Top with a pinch of pepper and fresh cilantro. 

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before

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after:

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Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

Baking is something I love to do, but my problem is with the finished goods. Through many years of intense cookie therapy, my chocolate chips and I came the same conclusion, bake only for special events and birthdays. This method was the answer My Vegan Gut was looking for. Now, I only have 12, and give the rest away to a few lucky friends.

With a friends birthday coming up, I knew only a combination of chocolate and peanut butter would do. After reading up on many different recipes, I found this one from, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. What I really like about the look of this cookie is at first glance, one would think this was yet another ordinary vegan chocolate cookie, but after only one bite, you'd feel the same as when it was discovered the world wasn't flat because this cookie is anything but.


What you will need: 

Part One; The inner filling:

• 3/4 cup natural *salted peanut butter, any style 
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar 
• 3 tablespoons *nondairy milk or creamer
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

*1 If you only have unsalted peanut butter,                                         add 1/2 teaspoon salt into peanut butter.
*2 I always use unsweetened almond milk anytime 'milk' is called for.


Part Two; The outer chocolate dough:

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 to 4 tablespoons nondairy milk 
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 11/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/3 cup + *2 tablespoons unsweetened coca powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

* you may also use black unsweetened coca powder for the 2 additional tablespoons. I didn't here. 


Main Supples:

• Two large mixing bowls 
• Electric hand mixer
• One large or two small cookie sheets
• Parchment paper

Let's make yumminess:

Part one; The inner filling:

1. In a mixing bowl add: peanut butter, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla. (1)
2. Using an electric mixer, mix/beat until you have a moist but firm dough. (2)
3. Add 1 tablespoon of milk and stir in. *If dough seems too wet, mix in a little extra powdered sugar.
4. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. (3)
5. Roll each portion into six balls. You'll have 24 peanut butter balls in total. Set aside.(4)                  (Don't eat them!!)
6. Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.  

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Part two; The outer chocolate dough:

1. In a mixing bowl add: oil, sugar, maple syrup, 3 tablespoons milk and vanilla. Mix manually until smooth. (1)
2. Add, flour, all cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well using hands until *dough is moist. (2a and 2b)

*If dough seems crumbly, mix in one more tablespoon of milk.

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Part three; putting it all together:

1. Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, set into palm. (1)
2. Using your other hand, apply pressure, flatten dough into a thin disc. (2)*Dough may crack a little, smooth out as best as possible before the next step.
3. Place a peanut putter ball in center of chocolate. (3)
4. Fold chocolate dough over the peanut butter. (4) *this step doesn't have a perfect science. I got the hang of it after my second cookie. 
5. Lightly roll/press into a smooth ball between your palms and lightly flatten the cookie slightly. (5) It should look a little like a knocked up chocolate cookie.
6. Place all knocked up cookies on cookie sheet(s) about 2 inches apart. (6)
7. Bake between 10 - 13 minutes. Done Cookie should feel like a ripe avocado, firm and semi-soft when pressed.
8. Remove from oven, let sit 5 to 10 minutes before carefully moving them to wire racks to complete cooling. 

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Tips:

1. Maybe my chocolate dough scoops were a little too generous? I only got about 19 cookies out of it. The recipe said I would get 24. *Only if you run out of chocolate dough, you may eat the inner peanut butter goodness. 
2. Store cookies in a tightly covered container. 
3. If you want a warm cookie, microwave for 12 seconds. 

Enjoy!!