DoughSeeDough

a balanced plate with room for dessert


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Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

I love challenges. I needed a dessert for a dietetic intern potluck. The catch – I wanted everyone to be able to enjoy it and one intern eats vegan and another gluten-free. Bring on the challenge, baby! I scoured the internet far and wide (ok, I only used Google and Pinterest) and ended up combing a bunch of different recipes to get this final product.

I got the base cake recipe from Eggless Cooking. It’s made with beets and chickpeas. I was really skeptical at first, but I decided to give it a try. Turns out you can’t even taste the chickpeas or beets! I used canned chickpeas and beets to cut down on prep-time and it turned out pretty well.

These cupcakes were soooo decadent. It’s not really cake-like. More fudge-like perhaps? They’re dense, rich, and definitely chocolatey!

(Sorry for the bad photo - I took this minutes before running out  
the door to get my butt to the potluck!)

Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
yields 12 cupcakes 

For the cupcakes:
2 cups chickpeas, canned or freshly cooked
3/4 cup beets, cooked
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips*

  1. Remove the thin outer skin from the chickpeas. Enlist help if you can – this will take a while! Use a food processor or blender to puree until smooth with a tablespoon or so of water.
  2. Puree beets into a smooth paste, using the cooking water.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
  4. Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each until completely melted.
  5. Combine chickpeas, beets, and sugar in the food processor or blender until completely smooth – no lumps allowed! Puree in coconut oil, baking powder, coffee granules, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  6. Blend in the melted chocolate chips into the chickpea and beet mixture and let the food process or blender run for a couple minutes to allow chocolate to distribute evenly throughout the batter.
  7. Pour batter into prepared cupcake pan and bake for 40 – 50 minutes.
  8. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan.
  9. Remove cupcakes from cupcake pan when cool and frost with chocolate frosting (recipe below)!
For the frosting:
1 can regular coconut milk, opened and refrigerated overnight – do not shake!!
1 cup Smart Balance, room temperature
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 – 6 cups powdered sugar
  1. Scrape the thick layer off the top of the coconut milk into a large bowl. Add in Smart Balance and beat until well combined and smooth.
  2. Mix in cocoa powder and vanilla extract until well combined.
  3. Gradually add powdered sugar into frosting, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached**.
  4. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered.

*I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips and they were pretty darn tasty!
** I ended up using some of  coconut milk left in the can to thin out the frosting and give it another boost of flavor. I ended up using about 5 cups of powdered sugar in addition to about 1/4 cup of the coconut “water” that was left in the can.


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Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

I purchased some raspberry jam to make raspberry tartlets for Mike. I got all my ingredients out, dug out my mini muffin liners, and then tragedy struck. I couldn’t find my mini muffin pan. Noooooooooo!!!! I tore my kitchen apart – both the actual kitchen and our basement kitchen and they were nowhere to be found.

I pouted about this for a couple weeks before deciding that I should just make something else with the jam. I decided to re-make an old recipe with a few changes.

raspberry thumbprint cookies | doughseedough.net

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup raspberry preserves

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla and gradually mix in flour until dough comes together.
  3. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
  4. Make a small indentation in each ball with your finger and fill with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.
  5. Bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Let cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute and move to wire rack to finish cooling.


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Salt & Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

I have two weaknesses in life: sour candy and salt & vinegar chips. Put either of these in front of me, I lose all self-control. I can demolish a bag of Sour Patch Kids in a day (or two) and the same goes for salt & vinegar chips. Obviously, neither of these foods are too good for me. You know, with all the sugar and fat and all…

It finally occurred to me that I should make salt & vinegar potatoes! I’m not sure why this didn’t come to me sooner, but I’m addicted to these. Are you a salt & vinegar chip enthusiast? If so, these are these are the perfect way to jazz up your dinner!

Salt & Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
White vinegar, to taste*

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss potatoes in a large roasting pan with olive oil and pepper.
  2. Roast potatoes, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
  3. Sprinkle with vinegar and salt to taste and serve immediately.
*I ended up using about 1/4 cup of vinegar, but I love vinegar. I would start with a couple of tablespoons and work your way up from there.


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Chicken Waldorf Salad

I don’t think I have ever, in my 24 years, had Chicken Waldorf Salad before. Ever. Not in a restaurant, at a friend’s house, at a picnic, at a pot lock, and any other scenario you can think of. I’ve heard of it, I’ve seen it on menus, but I’ve never eaten it. I don’t know what overcame me to make it at home, but boy am I glad I did! I loved this dish. It was a nice break from all the “heavy” winter foods I’ve been eating and it was so simple to put together. I based it off a recipe I found on Eating Well. I think this will be my go-to recipe for using up  leftover chicken from now on!

Chicken Waldorf Salad
serves 6

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 tart apples, diced
2 large celery stalks, diced
1 cup red or green seedless grapes, halved
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free mayo
2 limes, juiced
4 teaspoons honey
salt and pepper, to taste
baby spinach

  1. Combine chicken, apples, celery, grapes, and walnuts in a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour dressing over chicken and toss to combine.
  3. Serve immediately over a bed of baby spinach.


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Brown Rice California Roll

It’s crazy how fast time flies when you’re running on fumes. I cannot wait for the dietetic internship to be over. Working, homework, and trying to find time to work out and cook is leaving me with very little time to sleep. What has been keeping me so busy? On top of the work we have to do in rotations 8 hours a day, we have additional projects, homework, readings, etc. to keep us busy. I had the great honor to be one of the managers for cooking demos we held in late January and early February.

The interns presented 6 dishes total; I had a blast making this Brown Rice California Roll with a fellow intern for our audiences! It’s so simple and so good that I just couldn’t resist sharing the recipe that we came up with!

Sushi is one of my favorite foods in the world. No lie – I could eat it for every meal, every day and not get sick of it. As much as I love going out for sushi, it can get a little pricey. So while it’s nice to dine out once in a while, it makes a lot more sense to just make it at home! I can’t recall how long I’ve been making sushi. I do remember my mom making rolls for parties growing up, and I’m fairly certain I just picked up the skill from observing her. I still think observation is the best way to learn how to roll sushi, but I had Mike document the process and I hope that these pictures will help!

Brown Rice California Roll
makes 4 rolls 

2 cups brown rice
4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
4 sheets nori*
1 kirby cucumber, cut into 1/16 matchsticks
1/2 large carrot, cut into 1/16 matchsticks
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
3 sticks imitation crab meat, shredded
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons fat free mayonnaise, divided
2 tablespoons Sriracha chile sauce
1/4 teaspoon roasted sesame oil

Special Equipment:
Bamboo sushi mat*

  1. Cook rice in rice cooker and medium pot with 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce.
  2. When rice is cooked, transfer to a flat, non-metal bowl. Sprinkle remaining soy sauce and seasoned rice wine vinegar on top and toss to coat. Cool rice about 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  3. Add 2 tablespoon mayo to imitation crab and stir to combine.To roll the sushi:
  4. Set bamboo mat on flat surface with slats running crosswise.
  5. Arrange nori shiny-side down on mat.

  6. Using damp fingers, press 3/4 cup rice onto nori in 1 layer, leaving a 1 3/4″ border on the side of farthest from you.
  7. Arrange 1/4 of the carrots in an even strip horizontally across rice, about 1″ from the side closest to you.
  8. Arrange 1/4 of the cucumber in the manner, just above the carrots.
  9. Arrange 1/4 of the avocado slices just above the cucumber.
  10. Evenly distribute 1/4 of the crab on top of the carrot, cucumber, and avocado.
  11. Beginning with the edge closest to you, lift mat up with thumbs, holding filling in place with your fingers.
  12. Fold the mat over the filling and gently squeeze firmly along the length of the roll, tugging on the edge of the mat farthest from you to tighten.
  13. Continue to roll, by lifting up the mat, rolling the sushi forward, and squeezing. Be careful not to roll the mat into the sushi!
  14. Open mat and roll log forward to seal completely.
  15. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a cutting board. Slice into 9 pieces with a wet serrated knife.
  16. To make the dynamite sauce, mix together 1/2 cup mayo, Sriracha, and sesame oil together in a small bowl.

*You can find these items at an Asian grocery store. Larger grocery stores may carry these as well.


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Asian Lettuce Wraps

Asian lettuce wraps. Everyone loves them. It’s crazy how something so simple looking can pack in so much intense flavor. So, cook up a batch, sit down with a large pile of napkins, and enjoy!

Want to know my little secret? Make extras. The leftovers are just as tasty 🙂

Another secret? I make it into a salad of sorts – chopped up lettuce, some steamed rice, and the filling all drizzled with some of the dipping sauce. It’s a little less messy than eating it burrito-style.

Lettuce Wraps
serves 4

1 pound lean ground pork
1 large or 2 small heads Boston Bibb/butter lettuce
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons minced ginger root
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and minced
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame oil

For dipping sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce

  1.  Carefully remove leaves from lettuce head. Rinse and pat dry. Set aside.
  2. In a non-stick skillet over high heat, brown ground pork. Stirring often. Drain and set aside.
  3. Add onion to pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger vinegar, and Sriracha and stir, cooking for another minute. Stir in water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil and cooked pork. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
  4. Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
  5. To serve, spoon a portion of the meat onto a lettuce leaf, wrap up like a burrito and enjoy with the dipping sauce!


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Copy Cat Burrito Bowls

TGIF!! Even though I’m loving my rotation in school food service, I’m still so so so very happy that it’s Friday. So, here are my Friday Favorites for this week.

Favorite Fitness Must Have: Garmin Forerunner 910XT with HRM. Ok, calling this $450 fancy watch a “must have” is a bit of a stretch. Maybe I should say it’s a “Lust Have” instead. The watch is seriously awesome. The price is a little steep for a student budget, though. Eh, maybe when I get out of school and find a job I can reward myself with one of these babies with my first paycheck.

image from runningwarehouse.com

Favorite Cold Treat: Kemp’s Java Chip Ice Cream. Oh boy. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this stuff. A bowl full of this + some espresso chocolate chip cookies = the best dinner ever.

image from kemps.com

Favorite Make-Me-Smile Read: 10 Reasons Running Doesn’t Suck As Much As You Think on Hello Giggles. Part of me really wants to print this out and stick it on my fridge.

Favorite Restaurant Meal Copy Cat: Burrito Bowls! I made these on a night where I had a craving for burritos. They were so good that we made them again the next night with different toppings. The best part? They were SO easy to make! Seriously, we put them together in the time it would have taken us to drive across town, wait in line, and drive back home. It’s an added bonus that they were so cheap to make, too! Now that’s my kind of meal – delicious, quick, and cheap.

Copy Cat Burrito Bowl

3 cups brown rice
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped, divided
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Other optional toppings:
Sour cream
Jalapeños
Avocado
Queso
Hot sauce

  1. Cook brown rice according to package directions. I use a rice cooker and use a 1 cup brown rice: 2 cups water ratio. When rice is cooked, mix with 1/4 cup cilantro, lime zest and lime juice.
  2. Meanwhile, mix chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and oregano together and sprinkle generously over chicken breasts.
  3.  Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through. Remove to cutting board and chop.
  4. In a separate bowl, make the pico de gallo. Combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup cilantro, red onion, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
  5. To assemble: place rice in bowl and top with black beans, chicken, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and any other toppings you desire. Enjoy!

 


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Warming Up with Chinese Noodle Soup

Before I went to bed on Friday I checked the weather for Saturday at 8 am. 4°F and an inch or so of fresh snow on the ground. I had an 8 mile run scheduled and I couldn’t decide which was worse: running for 8 miles in the unbearable cold or 8  miles on the dreadmill.

I woke up Saturday at 6:45 and checked the weather as I ate my pre-run Greek yogurt. Currently -6°F and 1°F at 8:00 am. I grumped around the house until 7:30 when I decided to just suck it up and at least try. Worst case scenario? I run the shortest loop with the running group (4 miles) and run the other 4 at the Y.

I quickly searched the world wide web for guidance on what to wear. I normally peek at the Runner’s World What to Wear Running App, but that never seems to work out for me. And guess what? There aren’t a whole lot of people out there talking about running in the cold. Some blogs talked about running in the “cold” where cold = 30°F. Pfft! To me, that’s nice running weather.

So, what did I end up wearing and how did it work?

There ya go. For my top, I wore my Under Armour ColdGear Mock as a base layer. I added my Zoot 1/2 Zip on top of that and ended with my super thin Hot Chocolate 15k jacket to block the wind. I decked out my bottom half with Reebok Cold Weather Compression Tights and some DryMax Socks. I wore a neck gaiter and a performance fleece hat and headband. I slipped on YakTrax Pro over my shoes and stuffed my hands into my Nike Thermal Fleece Gloves and put a pair of Wooly Mitts on top.

Basically, I looked ridiculous. It turns out that I dressed pretty darn well for the weather. I was cold at first, but warmed up after about 2 miles. I kept slipping the Wooly Mitts on and off. I think the only part of me that was a little too cold were my thighs. My shins were pretty well covered between the higher socks and my tights, but the tights alone were not enough for my legs! Maybe next time I’ll try compression shorts under the tights.

I’m proud to say that I made it the entire 8 miles in the cold. I might even dare to say that I was enjoying the cold by the end. Moral of the story? Get outside and just run; you will end up loving it 🙂

The best bet after a nice, cold run? A warm bowl of soup and a long, hot shower. Sick of the soup you’ve been slurping down? Try this Chinese Noodle Soup!

Noodle soup, or as my family calls it – noup. Inspired by a Kung Fu Panda viewing with my lovely family last Christmas.

Every bite of this put the biggest, goofiest smile on my face. It’s so hard to get us all together  now that we’re growing up. It’s little things like this that bring joy into my life (and my stomach). It’s just a bonus that this is soup-er (har har) easy to throw together!

I entered this into  fellow blogger Branny Boils Over‘s Souper Bowl, Round 2 fundraiser. For every entry she receives, she will donate $1.00 to the ASPCA. As a dog owner (and lover) I couldn’t resist.

Chinese Noodle Soup
serves 6 

8 ounces dried Chinese noodles
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot chile sauce, such as Sriracha
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups thinly sliced bok choy
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks, for garnish

  1. Cook noodles according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, scallions, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, breaking up the turkey. Cook until turkey is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Add broth, bok choy, soy sauce, vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and chile sauce to pot. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until bok choy is tender.
  4. Return turkey to pot and stir to combine.
  5. To serve, place noodles in bowl and top with broth. Garnish with cucumber and serve.


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Friday Favorites (& Granola Bars)

Happy Friday everyone! Hope everyone had a fabulous week. While my week was better than usual, I’m still looking forward to the weekend. I’m starting something new – Friday Favorites. Read on for little moments from the week that grabbed me as well as a delicious new recipe!

Favorite blast from the past: school lunch. Yup, that’s right. I started my 1 month school food service rotation this week and they are feeding me lunch!  This is my first rotation to offer me food, so I’m pretty psyched. Some menu items that brought me back to my elementary and middle school days? Pizza dipper, mini corn dogs, and the good ol’ chicken nuggets. Don’t worry, they’ve got some amazing fruit and veggie spreads along with some other healthier options. Also, for the first time in a loooong time (quite possibly years) I’ve had a cup of skim milk every. single. day. My favorite part of eating school lunch? The spork.

image from newsone.com

Favorite  can’t-live-without-it workout equipment: Foam Roller. Best $20 I spent. You can find me rolling around on it for a good half hour after all my runs and cycling workouts.

 image from synergy-athletics.com

Favorite breakfast inspiration: overnight steel cut oatmeal. I’ve been eating old fashioned oatmeal for breakfast day-after-day. I love it, but it’s getting a little… boring. I finally went out last night and bought some steel cut oats and I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!

photo from thebittenword.com

 Favorite kitchen find: olive wood salt keeper. I’m drooling over this. I’ve seen so many salt keepers and I still haven’t snatched one up. Someday…

image from williams-sonoma.com

Favorite jewelry find: “asymmetry” earrings from Paon Blanc. I love big, dangly earrings. I love sparkly things. Check and check. These earrings are perfect.

image from etsy.com/shop/paonblanc

 and finally, my Favorite new holiday: National Granola Bar Day. There will never be a shortage of bizarre “holidays”. Celebrate National Granola Bar Day with me on January 21, 2012 with these delicious, no-added-sugar granola bars!! These granola bars are chock full of goodness – cranberries, bananas, pecans, oats, and flax. They were so easy to whip up and they taste a-maaaaazing.

Low Fat Granola Bars with Bananas, Cranberries, and Pecans
recipe from Cookin Canuk via Prevention RD 

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
3 large, ripe bananas
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons ground flax seed (or flax meal)
1/2 teaspoon salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper, with about 1 inch of parchment paper overlapping the sides.
  3. Spread out the oats and chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Place in the oven until they are lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  4. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork. Stir in applesauce until combined.
  5. Transfer the oats and pecans to a large bowl and stir in dried cranberries, ground flax seed (flax meal), cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  6. Stir the banana mixture into the oat mixture until well combined and starting to clump together. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press down evenly.
  7. Bake until the bars are golden brown and starting to separate from sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
  8. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Let cool to room temperature, then cut into 15 bars. Serve or store in an airtight container.


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World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well folks, I found it. The only chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need. What makes them so good? They’re perfectly fluffy, chewy and well… delicious.

I made them as-is the first two times and then mixed in a cup of toffee pieces the third time I made them. The verdict? One of my favorite cookies ever.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.
  3. Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks.
  4. Drop by tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 8 – 10 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
  5. Let cool slightly and enjoy.

from Food Network Canada