Beans, Grains, and Chocolate!
What a lunch! Mollie Katzen (and her recipes) were amazing! Everything served this afternoon was fresh, flavorful, nutritious, and absolutely delicious! I think all of the featured recipes were from Mollie’s new cookbook: The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without, which, of course, I really want to buy now! I wish she had been selling copies today– I would have purchased a copy on the spot!
My plate from the Beans and Grains session…
I loved (I mean LOVED) Mollie’s Coconut Ginger Carrots! OMG, these were heaven on a plate! I even went back for seconds!
I wish that I remembered the names of all of the dishes served at lunch today. One was made with navy beans and scallions, another with sauteed spinach. Mollie mentioned sharing these recipes with today’s audience through the HSPH cafe, so I will try to get my hands on them and share with all of you.
TAZA Chocolate
Today’s lunch event also included some information (and samples!) from a local chocolate brand, called Taza Chocolate, which specializes in making organic stone-ground chocolate– meaning their chocolate-making process captures the true flavor of the cacao bean by minimally processing the chocolate, hence retaining the beans’ natural health benefits and limiting additives (including sugar).
My chocolate squares…
The flavor of the Taza chocolate is to die for! The texture is much more “grainy” than American-made chocolate because Taza has a simple production process and their cacao beans are not nearly refined as much. I’m now a huge fan of stone-ground chocolate!
Posted by: Tina 14 comments
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Wow, stone-ground chocolate! Now that’s something I’ve never heard of before but would love to try. Thanks for sharing this, Tina.
Btw, I love the name of your blog
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
those carrots look AMAZING!!!!!! carrots and coconut sounds like the most amazing combo ever!
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
That chocolate looks incredible.
Oh, and the lunch! I love Molly Katzen and her previous work with Moosewood.
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Thanks for sharing! I love Mollie’s cookbooks and can recommend “Moosewood New Classics” in addition to the newest one.
Side note: any interest in a vegan pumpkin chocolate cupcake recipe? I know you love the chocolate/pumpkin combo and this recipe is pretty amazing…
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Beth–I would be interested in that recipe!
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
oooh, what FANTASTIC looking dishes!! So glad that you had fun at the seminar, with Mollie Katzen.
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Those carrots and chocolates look awesome..especially the carrots, is that weird?
Beth, I’d be interested in the recipe.
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Beth,
YES, I am super interested in a vegan pumpkin chocolate cupcake recipe! Please, please share!
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
OK, here ’tis:
(from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup canola or veg oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (vegan if available – I couldn’t find them, but it was fine with me)
Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, stir together pumpkin, oil, sugar, soy milk and vanilla. Sift in flour. baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir together with a fork – do not use an electric mixer or it will be gummy. Once well combined, fold in chocolate chips.
Distribute evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake 22 – 24 minutes, then cool on wire rack.
There was a “drizzled frosting” that went along with this, but honestly, they ROCK without it. Kinda muffiny, totally moist and yummy! I am amazed by vegan baking!
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Wow, coconut carrots sound so good!
Great blog– can I add you to my blogroll?
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Those carrots look good!
on Apr 30th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Now THAT is something I need: real, real, real chocolate!
on May 1st, 2008 at 6:46 am
ChocolateCoveredVegan,
I would love it if you added me to your blogroll!
on May 1st, 2008 at 6:48 am
Beth,
Oh my gosh! THANK YOU for the recipe! I can’t wait to make these! YUM!!