What did you Cook or Bake Today?

[silva]

So the cheese came out pretty well texture-wise. It sliced nicely (it was great with crackers and raspberry jalapeno jam), and it shredded very well for today's nachos. I was very pleased. The taste needs a little tweaking, though. The recipe called for coconut oil, 2 TBSP, and unfortunately I could detect the coconut flavor, though it was mild. I also halved the salt, as 2 1/2 teaspoons seemed like a lot. Overall, I really liked it. It melted nicely on the nachos (I shredded it first), though it doesn't spread into one cheesy mass as dairy cheese does.

I will definitely be making this again, though. I think I will add a bit more salt next time and maybe something to make it slightly more tangy. It did have nooch flakes and lemon juice and whatnot, but it also had half a carrot, and I think that made it sweeter than I would like it, so I might leave that out next time.

The agar agar powder/water mixture did a great job of solidifying the cheese. I need to consider a different oil, too, as I really dislike coconut, but I figured I would try it with the coconut oil. I'm wondering if vegetable shortening would work, as the oil/fat needs to be solid at room temperature. Someone in the comments asked about a sub for the coconut oil, and the author suggested canola or vegetable oil, but that is not solid at room temp, so I'm wondering if that would affect the texture.

Glad for the update! I've done recipes like this and while I could slice to get them to look like the picture, they were more spreadable than actual slice.

Oh heck, you've got to use refined coconut oil! I got a jar from Dollar Tree I can't taste coconut in it-I even put in an old contact case in winter to use for lips.
I have to leave carrots out as I can taste even a coin size!

 

[PTree15]

Glad for the update! I've done recipes like this and while I could slice to get them to look like the picture, they were more spreadable than actual slice.

Oh heck, you've got to use refined coconut oil! I got a jar from Dollar Tree I can't taste coconut in it-I even put in an old contact case in winter to use for lips.
I have to leave carrots out as I can taste even a coin size!

It's funny because it's sliceable but also spreadable. I will definitely get some refined coconut oil. Re, the carrots, I love them, but not in the cheese, lol. I think it will be really good next time. It's still tasty, just not how I want it going forward. That said, on things like nachos, it really did the trick. And with the jam on top with a cracker...yum! I'm really pleased with it overall.

 

[KLS52]

Not happy with my last loaf. I seem to be getting worse instead of better so I'm going to try again today.

This loaf has a blend of white flour and whole wheat which is probably what contributed to it being so heavy. I won't be doing that again lol. It's also very yeasty smelling which is weird. It's edible though. I'm just not enjoying it as much as a pure bread and butter treat. I'm toasting it instead and adding jam or cinnamon sugar lol.

 

[PTree15]

Not happy with my last loaf. I seem to be getting worse instead of better so I'm going to try again today.

This loaf has a blend of white flour and whole wheat which is probably what contributed to it being so heavy. I won't be doing that again lol. It's also very yeasty smelling which is weird. It's edible though. I'm just not enjoying it as much as a pure bread and butter treat. I'm toasting it instead and adding jam or cinnamon sugar lol.

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It looks delicious, though! I'm working through my second loaf of white bread (my recipe makes two loaves). I might try wheat next time, but I need some whole wheat flour first.

I want to make something today, I'm just not sure what. I'm craving some sort of dessert. I might make chocolate mousse or cranberry nut muffins. I haven't made mousse in a long time, so maybe that will be it.

 

[silva]

I also made white bread using the overnight yeast starter. It came out pretty anemic, but was quite taste and good texture and chew.
I watched a Americas Test Kitchen that tested length of overnight starters--like a 1/8 tsp yeast, 3/4 flour. THey found 30 minutes to be the sweet spot, and overnight just lost. Thought strange as all the recipes call for overnight
I'll try bread sticks and rolls next

Made another date cake. I must say, without any oil I do like it with spread. This time added walnuts which I think I'll leave out next. Kinda makes me think of biting into a tooth, and doesn't add to flavor. Maybe try a hard sauce, once I find out what that is

Gonna make a chili using Beyond Burger

 

[PTree15]

I also made white bread using the overnight yeast starter. It came out pretty anemic, but was quite taste and good texture and chew.
I watched a Americas Test Kitchen that tested length of overnight starters--like a 1/8 tsp yeast, 3/4 flour. THey found 30 minutes to be the sweet spot, and overnight just lost. Thought strange as all the recipes call for overnight
I'll try bread sticks and rolls next

Made another date cake. I must say, without any oil I do like it with spread. This time added walnuts which I think I'll leave out next. Kinda makes me think of biting into a tooth, and doesn't add to flavor. Maybe try a hard sauce, once I find out what that is

Gonna make a chili using Beyond Burger

I never think to use Beyond Burgers for scrambled protein. I might have to make some American chop suey with it.

ETA: I just made some vegan chocolate mousse, and now I'm making seasoned soy curls. One batch will be for soy curls chik'n salad and the other will be Sweet Simple Vegan's Filipino soy curls. I will have the latter with the gochujang noodles for dinner tonight.

 

[KLS52]

My latest attempt. I'm pleased even though I'm still not sure what I'm doing. The texture is a little more "wet" but I prefer this over the drier, tighter crumb. My son flipped over it and he easily ate 1/4 of it before bed last night. It is a higher hydration recipe...harder to work with...but I think I will stick with this and try to perfect it, or at least try to figure out the code so that I can get more consistent results. That big hole/tunnel is a no no so I need to figure out how to correct that too. Although it doesn't really bother me at all.

 

[Raven]

I think I will try the bread recipe you posted on here next week when I can get more groceries.

 

[KLS52]

Oops...I did it again. Sorry not sorry lol. I like this one better than Tuesday's loaf.

 

[KLS52]

I finally made my quinoa lentil burgers. I don't know why I waited so long. They're so good!

 

[shyvas]

A lentil, oat and mushroom loaf in the AF so that I can have a ready meal during the week. I can make sandwiches with added veg for lunch and also either potatoes, couscous plus vegetables for dinner.

 

[KLS52]

 

[PTree15]

I have a banana-chocolate chip bread baking in the oven. It's my favorite way to use overripe bananas. I might make some chickpea salad or hummus later.

 

[silva]

I pulled out a silicone mini muffin that had been forgotten, and got these cool round waffle pretzels that were on sale.
I lined the muffin molds with melted choc chips, put on a pretzel, a layer of date paste, and then another pretzel I smeared with peanut butter.
They're in fridge now. It didn't occur to me they may not come out of the silicone molds .

should have just mixed the date paste with cocoa and PB and made a dip!

 

[KLS52]

I have a banana-chocolate chip bread baking in the oven. It's my favorite way to use overripe bananas. I might make some chickpea salad or hummus later.

I have a bunch...I should do the same! I'll get on that tomorrow.

 

[KLS52]

This is what I've been striving for! It's perfect (for how I like it). I'm just not sure what I did different to have it come out this good. That's the frustrating part. It's becoming too much of a hit or miss with more misses than hits.

 

[silva]

This is what I've been striving for! It's perfect (for how I like it). I'm just not sure what I did different to have it come out this good. That's the frustrating part. It's becoming too much of a hit or miss with more misses than hits.
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I'm with you 100%! That looks soo good!
Do you use bread flour--or add vwg to reg flour? I always add vwg and never sure just how much. I think I use more than what I read is right.

I so appreciate when people say "how I like it". A big peeve for me now are posts ending "you'll thank me later", or "you're welcome". Such hubris! I will respond with "no thanks, IMO it's terrible "

 

[KLS52]

I'm with you 100%! That looks soo good!
Do you use bread flour--or add vwg to reg flour? I always add vwg and never sure just how much. I think I use more than what I read is right.

I so appreciate when people say "how I like it". A big peeve for me now are posts ending "you'll thank me later", or "you're welcome". Such hubris! I will respond with "no thanks, IMO it's terrible "

So far I have been using King Arthur bread flour. The next time I go to Costco, I may get their organic brand. It's not bread flour but supposedly works really well. I will experiment with it and if necessary, I'll try adding some VWG. I'll have to look up and see how much should be added because I have no idea. King Arthur organic is way too expensive in the supermarket.

I like to add, "how I like it" or "works for me". If I posted this on the sourdough Facebook page, it would not fit their standard of what the perfect loaf should look like. They wouldn't criticize it of course… They would say it looks really good… But I know it's not the gold standard. I managed to get the coveted "ear" on my last loaf and honestly, I find it very annoying. So I won't be scoring it to get an ear anymore.

 

[silva]

So far I have been using King Arthur bread flour. The next time I go to Costco, I may get their organic brand. It's not bread flour but supposedly works really well. I will experiment with it and if necessary, I'll try adding some VWG. I'll have to look up and see how much should be added because I have no idea. King Arthur organic is way too expensive in the supermarket.

I like to add, "how I like it" or "works for me". If I posted this on the sourdough Facebook page, it would not fit their standard of what the perfect loaf should look like. They wouldn't criticize it of course… They would say it looks really good… But I know it's not the gold standard. I managed to get the coveted "ear" on my last loaf and honestly, I find it very annoying. So I won't be scoring it to get an ear anymore.

KIng Arthur site has many vegan recipes. I got an email from them with suggestions to replace eggs!

 

[KLS52]

I made another cinnamon loaf. She's an absolute mess as the filling oozed out everywhere. But my son said it's the most amazing thing he's ever tasted. And he would be correct lol. I'll post a picture later.