Sam Turnbull's Blog, page 49

Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate (with toasted marshmallow fluff)!

After posting my recipe for Easy Vegan Marshmallow Fluff, I’m sure you’re not surprised (but hopefully very excited) to see my follow up recipe for Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate. Isn’t it just the most perfect winter time holiday treat?

Before the days of vegan, I used to buy the instant hot chocolate powder mixes they sell at grocery stores. Words like “double chocolate” and “extra rich and creamy” would convince me that they must be delicious. LIES! ALL LIES!

The hot chocolate was always thin and powdery tasting, not to mention those pathetic hard white floaty bits they claimed were marshmallows. Pffff!

Then one fine day I realized that making hot chocolate from scratch is practically instant anyways, but it’s at least 17 times better than any instant store-bought waste of time.

Homemade easy vegan hot chocolate takes just 5 minutes to make, 15 if you include making the toasted marshmallow fluff (which I highly recommend),  and it’s so perfectly decadent and delicious. Whisking the hot chocolate while heats makes it frothy and fabulous. The end result is the best hot chocolate ever! It’s incredibly rich and creamy, super chocolatey, and the perfect cold winter day warm up.

To make Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate: in a medium sauce pan, whisk together the cocoa powder, white sugar, and salt.

Pour in the non-dairy milk and put the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer while continuing to whisk. Once hot and simmering, and well mixed, remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Divide among 2 – 4 mugs (depending on how big of serving you would like).

For the toasted marshmallow fluff topping, simply dollop some marshmallow fluff on top, or use a pastry bag to decorate, then toast the fluff lightly with a brulée torch.

Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate

Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate with toasted marshmallow fluff! Yes please! This dairy-free treat whips up in just 15 minutes (including making the marshmallow fluff) for the perfect winter holiday treat. 

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups non-dairy milk ((such as soy or almond))
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Easy Vegan Marshmallow Fluff ((optional))

In a medium sauce pan, whisk together the cocoa powder, white sugar, and salt. Pour in the non-dairy milk and put the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer while continuing to whisk. Once hot and simmering, and well mixed, remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Divide among 2 – 4 mugs (depending on how big of serving you would like).

For the toasted marshmallow fluff topping, simply dollop some marshmallow fluff on top, or use a pastry bag to decorate, then toast the fluff lightly with a brulée torch.

For a lighter hot chocolate, replace up to half of the non-dairy milk with water.

Bon appetegan!

Sam.

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Easy Vegan Marshmallow Fluff

Right now, it’s 4:29pm and I’m in a hotel room, in bed, with a glass of white wine, and a box of French fries. Judge away my friends, judge away! Well ok, by the time you read this I will actually be back home again, reuniting with Chickpea dog after my short trip to Montreal. Pet reuniting is high-priority stuff as all pet owners know, so I’m writing this post a little ahead of time… and I’m certainly not making vegan marshmallow fluff in this hotel room bed right now, that was made ahead of time too.

But you did see that, didn’t you? I made EASY VEGAN MARSHMALLOW FLUFF! See for yourself ↓

You see, I tried to make vegan marshmallows (the cylinder-shaped kind), as requested by several readers, and I just didn’t like the results. It required thermometers, hot liquid sugar, hard to find ingredients, and the results still weren’t great. Then it struck me. FLUFF!!! So simple, yet all the same marshmallow goodness. Oh, it’s fluffy, alright, and it tastes just like marshmallows. In fact, it’s so similar to marshmallows that it even toasts!!!! ↓

I know what you’re thinking… well no I don’t… but I do know what I’m thinking, and I’m thinking the possibilities just got endless. S’mores, sweet potato casserole, hot chocolate… I’m pretty sure I just gave away what several of the next recipes are going to be on my blog, but I just can’t contain the excitement about toasted vegan marshmallow fluff!

It gets better. WHAT!? Yeah, it does.

This recipe uses only 4 ingredients, the main one being aquafaba, which is the leftover liquid from a can of chickpeas (the bean, not the dog). How’s that for using up food scraps? And the whole thing whips up in about 10 minutes. No candy thermometers, no fussing about, just marshmallow fluff.

Enjoy by the spoonful (I did), or however you like to enjoy your vegan marshmallow fluff. My parents said it was a super delish topping on my Yes, This Really is Vegan Cheesecake recipe in Fuss-Free Vegan, (page 194).

To make Easy Vegan Marshmallow Fluff: Add the aquafaba, vanilla, and cream of tartar to a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer.

Use the mixer or a hand mixer to beat the liquid for about 1 minute until it starts to get fluffy.

Slowly sprinkle in the sugar while the mixer is on. At this point, it may get a little more liquid but don’t worry, just continue to beat for about 10 minutes until a stiff peak is formed.

When you lift the beater the fluff should look glossy and hold a stiff peak, even if you jiggle the bowl the peak should stay as is. It may take more or less time depending on your mixer and brand of aquafaba. Enjoy!

Easy Vegan Marshmallow Fluff

Just 4 ingredients make this easy vegan marshmallow fluff that taste just like marshmallows and can even be toasted for the perfect s’more! 

Adapted from my Vegan Meringue Cookies recipe.

1/2 cup aquafaba ((liquid from a can of unsalted chickpeas), *see notes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar ((optional, but helps the texture hold better))
3/4 cup white sugar

Add the aquafaba, vanilla, and cream of tartar to a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer. Use the mixer or a hand mixer to beat the liquid for about 1 minute until it starts to get fluffy. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar while the mixer is on. Continue to beat for about 10 minutes until a stiff peak is formed. When you lift the beater the fluff should look glossy and hold a stiff peak, even if you jiggle the bowl the peak should stay as is. It may take more or less time depending on your mixer and brand of aquafaba.

*I prefer using canned chickpeas that are salt-free (check the ingredients). The chickpeas with salt may have a slight bean taste, whereas the salt-free ones do not. Either salted or unsalted will still work. 1 can of chickpeas will contain about 1 cup of liquid.

*Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge. It may start to decrease in fluffiness after a day, but you can give it a little whisk to liven it back up again.

Bon appetegan!

Sam.

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Smoky Vegan Beans on Toast

With all of the running about I have been doing for my book tour (which so far has consisted of 17 radio interviews, 2 tv appearances, and 2 live presentations) – gah! I have been a pretty tired, to say the least. Tired and all, when I make it home for the night, I’m still craving all of the deliciousness of a home cooked meal, but none of the fuss (so off character for me, I know)

Creamy Vegan Coconut Mushroom Pizza

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Sam. Sam was chatting with her mom about how she discovered these things called “blogs” and that these “blogs” were magical places where you could share your recipes with the world.

“So start a blog, then.” Said Sam’s mom.

“Yeah, I will!” said Sam. And so she did.

The problem was that Sam started her blog before she even really understood what a blog was. She had zero knowledge in food photography, and her idea of a recipe was to simply list the ingredients without specific measurements and let whoever read the “recipe” to figure out the rest themselves. Sam thought this was very “fuss-free”. Sam was wrong.

Nevertheless, Sam put in endless hours of hard work. Sam used her own magic to teach herself how to take photos, and how to properly write recipes, and eventually, her blog became her career. It was a dream come true. (No fairy godmother needed, thankyouverymuch).

One fine day, Sam went through her old recipes and deleted some of her early work including a recipe for “ooey gooey vegan pizza”.

“Nay!” The villagers cried. They had enjoyed the ooey gooey vegan pizza recipe, even though it was as ugly as a troll. Sam started to regularly receive messages of their longing for their one true love (pizza).

Sam was a kind and fair blogger so she gave the villagers what they wanted, and re-published the new and improved “Creamy Vegan Coconut Mushroom Pizza”.

“Hurray!” the villagers cheered which made Sam happy. And so they all lived happily ever after with bellies full of creamy pizza deliciousness.

The end.

True story… Well, ok, I added a little flair but you get the idea. This Creamy Vegan Coconut Mushroom Pizza was a winner even way back when it was ugly. Now that I have my lighting and photography on point, and I learned the importance of actually writing a recipe, I thought it was time to reshare it. Well, actually, you thought it was time to reshare it as I really did keep getting requests for that old ugly photo! Haha. It’ just goes to show good food is good food regardless of pretty photos.

Creamy Vegan Coconut Mushroom pizza is a mushroom lovers delight! Sautéd mushrooms covered in a lemon thyme coconut sauce that bubbles and browns to perfection in the oven. If you want something rich and creamy, this is the pizza for you!

To make Creamy VeganCoconutt Mushroom Pizza: melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat then add in the onions and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes until they begin to soften. Add in the mushrooms and satué until they have shrunk in size and cooked through, about 5 minutes. If needed you can add a small splash of water to help the mushrooms from sticking to the pan. Remove the mushrooms and onions from the pan and set aside. Return the pan to the heat.

Add more vegan butter to the pan and when melted sprinkle in the flour. Stir the flour into a paste and cook for 1 minute. This makes a roux which will help thicken the sauce.

Whisk in the coconut milk along with all the remaining spices and seasonings. Cook the sauce while whisking for about 5 minutes until it thickens. It should leave a thick coat on the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.

On a lightly floured surface, stretch the pizza dough until it fits the pizza pan. Spread the mushrooms over the pizza dough.

Then pour the slightly cooled coconut sauce over top. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the coconut sauce is bubbly and lightly browned. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Creamy Vegan Coconut Mushroom Pizza

This decadent mushroom lovers pizza is covered in a rich dairy-free coconut sauce that bubbles and browns to perfection in the oven. 

For the mushrooms:

1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, (chopped)
2 cloves garlic, (minced)
450 g button mushrooms, (sliced (about 6 cups sliced))

For the coconut sauce:

1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ((or gluten-free all purpose blend if preferred))
1 1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk ((the kind in a can))
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, (chopped)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 recipe Go-To Pizza Dough from Fuss-Free Vegan page 211 (or store-bought pizza dough)



Preheat your oven to 425F (220C). Lightly grease a pizza pan.
For the mushrooms: melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat then add in the onions and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes until they begin to soften. Add in the mushrooms and satué until they have shrunk in size and cooked through, about 5 minutes. If needed you can add a small splash of water to help the mushrooms from sticking to the pan. Remove the mushrooms and onions from the pan and set aside. Return the pan to the heat.
For the coconut sauce: Add more vegan butter to the pan and when melted sprinkle in the flour. Stir the flour into a paste and cook for 1 minute. This makes a roux which will help thicken the sauce. Whisk in the coconut milk along with all the remaining spices and seasonings. Cook the sauce while whisking for about 5 minutes until it thickens. It should leave a thick coat on the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.
To prepare the pizza: On a lightly floured surface, stretch the pizza dough until it fits the pizza pan. Spread the mushrooms over the pizza dough, and then pour the slightly cooled coconut sauce over top. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the coconut sauce is bubbly and lightly browned. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Bon appetegan!

Sam

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Vegan Champagne Cupcakes

It’s here, it’s here, it’s here!!! In case you don’t follow me on social media and you haven’t seen all my crazy excited posts, my first ever cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan is finally here! You can now find it on shelves in Barnes & Nobel, Chapters Indigo, online at Amazon, or (hopefully) in a bookstore near you! Can I get a woot woot!? In order to celebrate, I thought what better way than to combine bubbly booze, with sweet cake, topped with a mound of frosting. Yes, I’m talking Vegan Champagne Cupcakes. Ooh la la!

Friends, I just looked at Amazon and there are already four 5 star reviews!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  I swear I didn’t bribe any of my friends with Vegan Champagne Cupcakes, those are legit real reviews, and they are totally glowing reviews at that. I’m SO incredibly flattered for the kind words shared about my book. So if you wrote one of those reviews, I thank you oh-so-much. You totally made my day. (As if I needed any more awesomeness)! So grateful.

Now aren’t these just the cutest little cupcakes you ever did see? (For those of you who recognize this champagne, don’t worry, I drank this one, and used a more affordable one in the cupcakes)!

Vegan Champagne Cupcakes are the perfect way to celebrate my new book and the rave reviews, but they are also perfect for any special occasion. I’m thinking New Year’s Eve, graduation, birthdays, retirement, anything that’s worth popping a bottle for.  Which if you know me, I’m a fan of celebrating big events such as “it’s Tuesday!” or “it’s 5 o’clock!” because why wait to celebrate life, you know what I’m saying?

Yesterday, I had, even more, to celebrate (is that even possible) because I spent a good chunk of the day at the CBC radio station in a recording booth getting interviewed from different cities all across Canada. I did 15 interviews in a row!!! A couple of them were live, which was kinda scary, but fun, and the rest I have no idea when they are airing but I will be sure to share links when I get them.

Two of the interviewers actually stayed on the line longer after our session and expressed how they were interested in going vegan and asked me a ton of questions. One guy even said he was going to try going vegan for 30 days!!  (I’m going to hold him to that).

Fuss-Free Vegan Book Launch!

Just 2 days until Fuss-Free Vegan is here! I can’t even describe to you how I feel right now, but let me try. It’s a combination of sheer joy and I think I’m gonna puke nerves galore. I can’t wait for you to have your very own copy and to see what you think!

It’s been an immense amount of work, but I loved every bit of it. I feel like I didn’t just write any book, but I created a book that represents me to the core. I think you’ll know what I mean once you get your hands on a copy.

This past week I was lucky enough to celebrate it with a book launch party held at the Penguin Random House office for friends, family, and fans. It was sheer delight.

It’s so overwhelming to walk down the hall on the way to my own book launch party and pass the books of authors such as Dan Brown, Tom Hanks, Lynn Crawford, Julia Child, Nigella Lawson, Curtis Stone, Paul Hawkins, and Margaret Atwood, just to name a few. To know my book is going to be sitting on that same shelf in just a few days is just so surreal!

Once at the party, everyone got to sample some recipes from my book including this beyond huge Crowd-Pleasing Jalapeno Cheese Ball, mini All Hail Caesar Salads, Fall-In-Love Beet & Carrot Lox and my Fudgy Double Chocolate Brownies.

It was kinda funny to be served my own recipes made by someone else (a catering company), but I was delighted to hear there were rave reviews all around. With comments such as “how come these carrots actually smell like lox!?” to which I respond, “because I’m good at my job”.

Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

Just 6 days until my book Fuss-Free Vegan is released! I can’t even control my excitement right now. Last night, I had a smashing good time at my book launch party… well at least I assume I will have a smashing good time, as I’m actually writing this post a few days before the party. Sam was a wee bit concerned that she might still be in bed the morning this post would go out, so she scheduled the recipe to get sent out all by itself. I am so smart, S-M-R-T!

I will tell you all about the launch party in Sundays post, but today I’m throwing Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup at you.

…Well, no I’m not throwing this soup at you, that would be a bad idea and could result in injury and lawsuit. How about instead I share some rainbow coloured pictures and drool-worthy flavour descriptions. Agreed? Good.

Slightly spicy coconut red curry broth, with slurpable thin rice noodles and bok choy, topped with crunchy sweet yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion, fresh cilantro, roasted peanuts, spicy Thai red chili (if you are into that kinda thing), roasted peanuts, and a squeeze of lime. Yes, this soup tastes every bit as good as it looks. But it get’s even better…

… this gorgeous soup takes less than 30 minutes to make and is a one pot meal! Yeah I know, I bet you didn’t see that coming. It looks and tastes so fancy for being so easy to whip up.

The secret is using Thai red curry paste. This curry paste which can be found in almost any grocery store. It’s so packed full of flavour, that it does most of the work for you. You can play around with the toppings if you like, but I highly recommend always opting for a generous squirt of fresh lime, and the roasted salted peanuts (or cashews). They really add that last little flourish that makes you go back for seconds. Soups on!

To make Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup: heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When hot add the onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, and continue to stir and cook for another 30 seconds until the curry is fragrant.

Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bok choy. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until the bok choy starts to wilt.

Like so.

Add the rice noodles and cook another 2 – 3 minutes until the noodles are tender. Lastly, stir in the coconut milk.

You may find that the noodles absorb too much of the broth, and if so, feel free to add water to the soup to thin as needed.

Divide the soup among bowls, and add the toppings to taste. I like to arrange my toppings in around the bowl because it works so wonderfully for food photography, but if looks don’t matter, you can always just dump them all on top. You’re gonna need a napkin for this one!

 

Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

30 minute, vegan, gluten-free, one pot meal! This coconut red curry soup is quick and easy to make and is so slurpably good. 

For the soup:

1 tablespoon light oil ((such as peanut, canola, or vegetable))
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, (minced)
1 inch piece fresh ginger, (minced)
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
8 cups vegetable broth ((2 litres))
1 454g pacakge baby bok choy (about 5 cups), (roughly chopped)
225g rice vermicelli noodles ((1/2 of a 454g package))
1 cup full-fat coconut milk ((the kind in a can))

For the toppings:

1 yellow bell pepper (or other colour pepper), (thinly sliced)
1 handful cilantro, (roughly chopped)
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
1/4 red onion, (thinly sliced)
1 lime, (cut into wedges)
1 red Thai chili pepper (or other hot pepper), (thinly sliced (optional))
soy sauce, (to taste)



Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When hot add the onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, and continue to stir and cook for another 30 seconds until the curry is fragrant.

Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bok choy. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until the bok choy starts to wilt. Add the rice noodles and cook another 2 – 3 minutes until the noodles are tender. Lastly, stir in the coconut milk.

Divide the soup among bowls, and add the toppings to taste.

If the noodles absorb too much broth, feel free to add water to thin out the soup as needed.

 

Bon appetegan!

Sam.

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25 Vegan Sandwich Recipes

I have a love/hate relationship with vegan sandwiches.

I love vegan sandwiches because they are layers of deliciousness. They can be as sweet and simple as peanut butter and jelly or as savoury and unique as BBQ jackfruit. They are perfect for easy dinners, for your lunchbox, taking to work, going to school, or eating on the go. No cutlery required. Love it!

I hate vegan sandwiches because I’m the kinda gal who loves the crustiest, crunchiest bread on my sandwiches. Then I will take that bread and I will toast it so that it’s extra extreme crispy and crunchy. The result is super, epically delicious, crunchy sandwich bread…. that scratches the roof of my mouth until it hurts. Why oh why!? I hate you delicious crunchy sandwich pain. Can anyone else relate?

Today I’m sharing a round-up of 25 vegan sandwich recipes. These recipes are from all different blogging friends across the net. Just click on the picture or the title of the sandwich to take you directly to the full recipe. So many delicious vegan sandwiches to be had. Omnomnom!

Health Happy Life: Rainbow Veggie Sandwich

Strength & Sunshine: The Ultimate Vegan BLT

Veggies Save the Day: Vegan Cream Cheese Sandwich

The Nut-Free Vegan: PBJ and J (Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Jalapeno)

Green Evi: Avocado and Maple Glazed Tempeh Sandwich

Happy Kitchen Rocks: Pita Pockets with Roasted Veggies and Hummus

Vegan Huggs: Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich w/h Vegan Mozzarella & Pesto

Rabbit and Wolves: Vegan Blackberry, Basil and Ricotta Pressed Sandwich

It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken (that’s me): Vegan Ranch Chickpea Sandwich

Strength & Sunshine: Curried Black Eyed Pea Salad Sandwiches

Plant-Based Cooking: Tempeh Salad Sandwich

Strength & Sunshine: Grilled Green Goddess Wraps

Rhian’s Recipes: Vegan Hummus Toasted Sandwich

It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken (that’s me): 6 Ingredient Pulled Jackfruit

Diane’s Vegan Kitchen: Grilled Eggplant Wraps with Spicy Tahini Slaw

Veggie Inspired: Veggie Wrap with Apples and Spicy

Veggies Don’t Bite: Smoky Tempeh, Apple, and Arugula Sandwich

Vegetarian Gastronomy: Jalapeno Popper Herb Grilled Cheese

Yummy Mummy Kitchen: Vegetarian Muffaletta Picnic Sandwich

Green Evi: Pimento Spreads Sandwiches

The Nut-Free Vegan: (TLT) Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato with Avocado Mayo

Yup It’s Vegan: Vegan Pimento Cheese Spread Sandwiches

It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken (that’s me): Grilled Tofu Banh Mi

Veggie Desserts: Beetroot Hummus on Toast with Avocado

Black White Vivid: Russian Inspired Rye Bread Sandwich

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Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

Can I just tell you how much I love this Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup?

It took me 20 minutes to make, just 20!! I swear, the fussiest part is slicing the mushrooms, and you could even buy them pre-sliced if you prefer. Then you just sauté some onions and garlic along with the mushrooms, because we all know those are musts in any soup. Add in broth, seasonings, and the secret (clearly not secret) ingredient, rich silky coconut milk. Ooh la la!

At first, I was a little uncertain if the coconut flavour would work well here, so I did a test run. Not only does it work, but it’s AMAZING! Like wow, why is this mushroom soup so much better than any I’ve had before!? There’s just something about the earthy mushrooms and subtle but insanely addictive creamy coconut that just works.

Vegan Cream of Mushroom soup is creamy, velvety, and totally decadent in only 20 minutes. This is a recipe where people will be awed that you made this soup entirely from scratch, and only you will know how secretly easy it was. My kinda recipe!

To make Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup: in a large soup pot, melt the vegan butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms have softened and browned.

Now, I know I will get asked this, yes, you can use oil instead of a vegan butter, BUT the combo of vegan butter and mushrooms is 

Pixie Mood Vegan Purse Giveaway!

If you’ve been following my blog for awhile you might already know that I’m a HUGE fan of Pixie Mood purses. They’re a Canadian company (woot!), that makes great quality PETA approved vegan purses (woot!), that come in a ton of fun colours and designs (woot)!

Today I’m giving away two gorgeous Pixie Mood purses. Woot woot woot! (How many woots are too many woots)?

For this giveaway, two lucky winners will get to choose whichever beautiful purse they like! There are a ton of options so make sure you check out the Pixie Mood site to see them all. And if you aren’t a purse person, don’t forget Christmas is right around the corner