Guest guest Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Article from the Washington Post, what the f**k is Xanthan gum?, sure wont be in any of my cooking! Vegan Brownies for Everyone As many of my longtime readers know, I am a meat-eater who also swings meat-free. I'm hardly a vegetarian in the true sense of the word, but I do without meat, on average, in half of my weekly meals. Some may say I'm an omnivore, but the newfangled term is "flexatarian," referring to someone who eats a semi meat-free diet. Vegan, gluten-free brownies that will blow your mind. (Kim O'Donnel) As evidenced by five years of my monthly vegetarian chat, readers know that I'm hip to new and different ways of cooking traditional dishes, particularly if the revisions are undetectable to our fat-conditioned palates. To wit: Last year during the holidays, I made the discovery of pumpkin pie made with tofu, an amazing, more healthful tweak on a Thanksgiving staple. In keeping with this theme of delicious food that also happens to be free of animal products, I've got to share a recent dessert discovery. The latest issue of Food and Wine magazine features Baby Cakes NYC, a vegan bakery in New York that I wish I had known about when I was there earlier this summer. What's doubly interesting about this place is that in addition to being vegan (no animal products of any kind), its line up of baked goods is wheat (and gluten)-free. Among the included recipes, the "Brownie Bites" seemed the most intriguing and challenging to a egg and dairy-based dessert lover such as myself. The words "vegan" and "gluten-free" combined with "brownie" sounded more like "kitchen disaster" to my spoiled palate. What this means is there would be no eggs, no milk and no butter in my brownies. Oh, and no regular, all-purpose flour, either. Still with me? Finding dairy-free chocolate was not the problem (if it's labeled "dark chocolate," it's processed without milk), but getting my hands on a reliable gluten-free flour was a new challenge for this gluten-centric baker. Rather create a mix of gluten-free flours myself (which I had feared), I found a gluten-free, all-purpose flour made by an Oregon company called Bob's Red Mill. A mixture of potato starch, plus flours of garbanzo and fava beans, sorghum and tapioca, the flour is a dream for anyone with wheat allergies or the debilitating celiac disease. When using this flour, however, you'll need the help of a binder called xanthan gum, which is used to help mimic the stretchy quality of a batter or dough containing gluten. Often seen on labels for commercial salad dressings and ice cream, xanthan gum is made from a bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris. Alright, I know, enough of the long words. What's the verdict, after all? It was a vegan epiphany of brownie proportions. Baking skeptics, get off the gluten high-horse and join the party. These are delightful little morsels, with a devil's food-like texture and plenty of chocolate richness, particularly from the chips. I didn't miss the butter, I didn't miss the eggs. And most surprisingly, I didn't miss the gluten. Brownie BitesFrom Food and Wine, September 2006 IngredientsVegetable oil spray½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill gluten-free, all-purpose baking flour½ cup sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder1/8 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon xanthan gum½ cup applesauce¼ cup canola oil1 tablespoon vanilla extract½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Sunspire brand Organic Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, which are dairy free) MethodPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray mini-muffin pan with vegetable oil spray. (KOD note: Use mini-muffin liners if you can find them; they give some shape to end result.) In a medium bowl, combine baking flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum. In another bowl, whisk applesauce, oil and vanilla, then stir into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling them three-quarters full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until set. Allow brownies to cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Peter H Copy addresses and emails from any email account to Mail - quick, easy and free. Do it now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 its a food additive made from bacteria quite common over here peter VV Aug 17, 2006 9:56 AM Re: Vegan Brownies for Everyone Article from the Washington Post, what the f**k is Xanthan gum?, sure wont be in any of my cooking! If George Bush said that the Earth was flat, the headline would read, "Views Differ on Shape of the Earth" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Xantham Gum is veggie - from either a tree or seaweed - can't remember which. I don't see how eating a couple of meals without meat warrants a name of flexitarian though. Why do people kid themselves. Jo - peter VV Thursday, August 17, 2006 5:56 PM Re: Vegan Brownies for Everyone Article from the Washington Post, what the f**k is Xanthan gum?, sure wont be in any of my cooking! Vegan Brownies for Everyone As many of my longtime readers know, I am a meat-eater who also swings meat-free. I'm hardly a vegetarian in the true sense of the word, but I do without meat, on average, in half of my weekly meals. Some may say I'm an omnivore, but the newfangled term is "flexatarian," referring to someone who eats a semi meat-free diet. Vegan, gluten-free brownies that will blow your mind. (Kim O'Donnel) As evidenced by five years of my monthly vegetarian chat, readers know that I'm hip to new and different ways of cooking traditional dishes, particularly if the revisions are undetectable to our fat-conditioned palates. To wit: Last year during the holidays, I made the discovery of pumpkin pie made with tofu, an amazing, more healthful tweak on a Thanksgiving staple. In keeping with this theme of delicious food that also happens to be free of animal products, I've got to share a recent dessert discovery. The latest issue of Food and Wine magazine features Baby Cakes NYC, a vegan bakery in New York that I wish I had known about when I was there earlier this summer. What's doubly interesting about this place is that in addition to being vegan (no animal products of any kind), its line up of baked goods is wheat (and gluten)-free. Among the included recipes, the "Brownie Bites" seemed the most intriguing and challenging to a egg and dairy-based dessert lover such as myself. The words "vegan" and "gluten-free" combined with "brownie" sounded more like "kitchen disaster" to my spoiled palate. What this means is there would be no eggs, no milk and no butter in my brownies. Oh, and no regular, all-purpose flour, either. Still with me? Finding dairy-free chocolate was not the problem (if it's labeled "dark chocolate," it's processed without milk), but getting my hands on a reliable gluten-free flour was a new challenge for this gluten-centric baker. Rather create a mix of gluten-free flours myself (which I had feared), I found a gluten-free, all-purpose flour made by an Oregon company called Bob's Red Mill. A mixture of potato starch, plus flours of garbanzo and fava beans, sorghum and tapioca, the flour is a dream for anyone with wheat allergies or the debilitating celiac disease. When using this flour, however, you'll need the help of a binder called xanthan gum, which is used to help mimic the stretchy quality of a batter or dough containing gluten. Often seen on labels for commercial salad dressings and ice cream, xanthan gum is made from a bacteria called Xanthomonas campestris. Alright, I know, enough of the long words. What's the verdict, after all? It was a vegan epiphany of brownie proportions. Baking skeptics, get off the gluten high-horse and join the party. These are delightful little morsels, with a devil's food-like texture and plenty of chocolate richness, particularly from the chips. I didn't miss the butter, I didn't miss the eggs. And most surprisingly, I didn't miss the gluten. Brownie BitesFrom Food and Wine, September 2006 IngredientsVegetable oil spray½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill gluten-free, all-purpose baking flour½ cup sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder1/8 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon xanthan gum½ cup applesauce¼ cup canola oil1 tablespoon vanilla extract½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Sunspire brand Organic Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, which are dairy free) MethodPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray mini-muffin pan with vegetable oil spray. (KOD note: Use mini-muffin liners if you can find them; they give some shape to end result.) In a medium bowl, combine baking flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum. In another bowl, whisk applesauce, oil and vanilla, then stir into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling them three-quarters full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until set. Allow brownies to cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Peter H Copy addresses and emails from any email account to Mail - quick, easy and free. Do it now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 cuz its easy anything to make yourself feel better jo Aug 17, 2006 3:34 PM Re: Vegan Brownies for Everyone Xantham Gum is veggie - from either a tree or seaweed - can't remember which. I don't see how eating a couple of meals without meat warrants a name of flexitarian though. Why do people kid themselves. Jo ----- Original If George Bush said that the Earth was flat, the headline would read, "Views Differ on Shape of the Earth" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 give that man a prize, got it in one..............half a concience. the valley vegan............fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote: cuz its easy anything to make yourself feel better jo Aug 17, 2006 3:34 PM Re: Vegan Brownies for Everyone Xantham Gum is veggie - from either a tree or seaweed - can't remember which. I don't see how eating a couple of meals without meat warrants a name of flexitarian though. Why do people kid themselves. Jo ----- Original If George Bush said that the Earth was flat, the headline would read, "Views Differ on Shape of the Earth"Peter H Try the all-new Mail . "The New Version is radically easier to use" – The Wall Street Journal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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