September 30, 2012

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Pancakes


My dad makes the best pancakes in the world.

When I was little, they were perfect for any occasion- whether they were goofy shapes for my mom's birthday breakfast in bed, or simply to honour a Saturday morning. A sure sign of growing up in Canada is the transition from Aunt Jemima's quadruple-butter-flavoured syrup to pure maple syrup. My organizational skills did not mature with my syrup snobbery, and without a recipe box, it became tradition to call home every month or two throughout university for the recipe.

Now, in my mid-twenties, with flour, egg and milk substitutions, it's not as simple as it used to be - but I think it's one of the easiest recipes to play with as far as ingredients go. I won't deny that it could be partially due to the fact that texture and fancy flavours are less of a concern since they'll soon be soaked in sugar, but even before their inevitable fate, these could not have turned out better.

I had a slow, rainy, grey backdrop through the windows to my kitchen, memories of standing next to my dad on my tiptoes while he made works of art out of pancake batter, and a craving for comfort foods. Magic happened.

September 18, 2012

Socca 'Pizza' with Spicy Walnut Lentil Spread and Fresh Veggies


I tend to get overwhelmed looking at gluten-free baking recipes. The long list of ingredients is often made up of things one would not normally have in their everyday cupboard. These include things like arrowroot powder, egg replacements, xantham gum, agave nectar and a combination of 3-5 different flours and starches for the equivalent of regular flour.

If you haven't heard of it already, there is a delicious flatbread pancake out there with one dry ingredient that cooks to perfection. It's called socca, and it's made from chickpea flour. Apparently, its roots lie in the south of France as a finger food, often served in the street. Chickpea flour has great nutritional value: a serving of 100 g gives you 22 g of protein and 11 g of fibre (NutritionData.com).

The only real requirement for this recipe is that you need a cast iron pan. Ours is on the cheap side, and has a wooden handle, so I first tried this with a metal dish. It turned out okay, but there was a lot of pancake poking and multiple flips during the process. I prefer to keep recipes that involve turning up the heat halfway through and re-setting the timer 4 - 5 times to myself as learning curves.

This time, I borrowed a regular cast iron pan from our lovely friends and neighbours, and it was easy-peasy. Not only does it cook through evenly, it has great texture and a light taste. Socca is also exceptionally versatile. You can go savoury or sweet, thick or thin. I went savoury, and used it as a kind of flatbread to top with a walnut lentil spread and raw veggies for a fresh Sunday night dinner. My only complaint is the lentil spread's unfortunate shade of pink. I might feel better if we call it a pâté, even if only to legitimize its aesthetic qualities.

September 15, 2012

Autumn Vegan Cream of Sweet Potato and Fennel Soup


Every year, I say that I never want summer to be over.  It always seems to be the season to go by the most quickly. I am not a winter person, so when summer comes to an end, I tend to look straight ahead to the dreaded days of a dry and frozen city.

But then, every year, I am reminded of how my heart warms up in the fall. Not only when it's full-blown autumn, but during its transition period; when a few golden leaves pepper the trees, the sun still sinks into your bare skin and wool socks are safely tucked away. Inspirations that are lost in the heat of the summer slowly spill back into my life.

September is a month of new beginnings and old comforts. The thought of snuggling into a blanket with a good book, warm ciders, late harvested roasted vegetables and baked spiced desserts are all things to be wholly embraced. I started modestly - with this soup.

Hello, autumn. I've let go of this year's summer and made room in my heart for you.