adventures in the kitchen

Lately I have found myself itching to cook and bake.  Here are a few of my most recent kitchen projects:

This is a vegan greenbean casserole.  I was thrilled with how easy it was to make.  I got the recipe from http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=27126.0

These chocolate cherry cupcakes I made were really tasty and I got the recipe from the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  It was a wedding gift.  It was my first time making cupcakes and I of course did make a few mistakes like forgetting to let the frosting cool a bit before adding it to the cupcakes....  But they were still very delicious.

I made these samosas using wheat flour and the crust was just too hard.  I recommend following the crust recipe to the T or getting your own when making this.  The recipe is from http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=4743.0
The insides were delicious and they were fun to make.

This next picture is a bunch of ingredients that went into some brownies I made.  Who would think to make brownies with black beans but let me tell you, this is my favorite brownie recipe ever!  These were extremely easy and quick to make and they tasted great.  Plus you can make them using honey instead of sugar which definitely makes one feel more healthy while indulging in chocolate goodness.

Of course I forgot to take a picture of the finished project but they look just like regular brownies, even with the same consistency.  Here is the recipe: 

Black Bean Brownies Recipe
Servings: 9
Description:

Dense, fudge-y and ultra-healthy, these brownies are a great alternative to traditional brownies! It's amazing how they taste like chocolate and fudge and not beans! Chef's Notes: Rolled oats run through the food processor may substituted for the instant oats. Use optional sugar if your bananas are still green and not very ripe.
Ingredients:
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
2 whole bananas
⅓ cup agave nectar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup raw sugar (optional)
¼ cup instant oats
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8" pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and pour batter into the pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. Chef's Note: if you find these brownies are too soft or too fudge-y, add another 1/4 cup oats or flour.

from: http://happyherbivore.com/2009/05/vegan-blackbean-brownies/

Also you should know I found the link for these brownies while looking at this blog:
http://vegandad.blogspot.com/   - its a great blog with lots of inspiring projects.

Well, I am taking a trip to Puerto Rico this Friday so my next post should be filled with pictures of the landscape and stories of the jungle.