Vegan Gluten-Free Biscuits

Vegan Gluten-Free Biscuits

These Vegan Gluten-Free biscuits were made using Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix, and Hain Gluten Free Baking Powder. I was really pleased with the end result - a nice sweet biscuit - using the recipe on the back of the Arrowhead Mills box - with a touch of agave nectar and soy yogurt. The dough held together nicely and yielded a batch of adorable treats - thanks to these petite cutters my friend Lisa gave me for my birthday.

Staying warm and out of the ice storm today; here is what we have to report: AnnaVeda Kitchen will be in Whole Foods Markets in Rhode Island starting February 2009. There are three stores in the entire state of RI - which will each be carrying our DVD Very Good Vegan Volume One - see http://www.verygoodvegan.com/ for details.

On Friday February 27 we will be at the Waterman Providence Whole Foods Market doing an in-store Vegan Cooking Demo - be sure to stop in and have a snack if you are in the area that evening from 6-9pm! Stay tuned for more updates and in-store events.

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge: Day 5 - Vegan Snickerdoodles

Vegan Snickerdoodles

Day 5! Here you go folks - My very first batch of Very Good Vegan Snickerdoodles. What can I say - it is 13 degrees here in CT this evening - dropping to 3 degrees by 7 am tomorrow. (Sigh)

How am I keeping warm? Lots of Ashtanga Yoga and Vegan cookies! Thank you for following my 5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge. Please tell everyone you know to check out www.VeryGoodVegan.com

Our DVD Very Good Vegan ships FREE - and is a great way to introduce your friends and family to Veganism without being too heavy handed.

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge: Day 4 - Vegan Chocolate Crinkles

Vegan Chocolate Crinkles

I've made it to Day 4 of my self-imposed 5 Day - 5 Vegan Cookies Challenge! Hurray! Tonight's cookies are brought to you by 8 ounces of melted dark chocolate, 1/2 cup cocoa powder and a smattering of other top secret ingredients that I will share, eventually. These sweeties are cooling off in the kitchen as I blog, so this will be brief as I wish to enjoy a few by the fire.

Last night's cookie - the Peanut Butter Bars w. Cherry Preserves - were in a word - incredible! So full of peanut butter flavor they were actually intense. I sent a few home with friends today so that I would not ingest the entire tray!

There is certainly a lot going on regarding our DVD Very Good Vegan (www.VeryGoodVegan.com) - so this cookie challenge has been a lovely distraction here at AnnaVeda Kitchen. What can I say - by and by I wait...Stop by tomorrow night for the final cookie in the challenge!

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge: Day 3 - Vegan Peanut Butter Bars w. Cherry Preserves

Vegan Peanut Butter Bars w. Cherry Preserves

Day three of my 5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge - I craved peanut butter - a lot of peanut butter, and these bars did not disapoint. Most cookies I have baked involving peanut butter tend to be anti-climactic. (Does it bake off?) Not the case here. Crumbly, thick and involving 2.5 cups of all natural peanut butter, these morsels are intense! Also, an entire jar of Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves were layered in-between the base and the crumb topping.

No eggs, no butter - yet the dough held and all is well in AnnaVeda Kitchen tonight. OK - so, if you have been following this blog, you know that tomorrow brings an all new Vegan cookie. All right gang, tune in for more Vegan cookie magic "a domani". For more AnnaVeda Kitchen info please visit http://www.verygoodvegan.com/

Email us at info@annaveda.com with any questions.

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge - Day 2: Raspberry Ginger Sandwich Cookies

Vegan Raspberry Ginger Sandwich Cookies

Hello out there! Day two of my 5 day Vegan Cookie Challenge is here and these are the magic cookies that sprouted in my kitchen this evening. There is A LOT of ground ginger in these cookies; basically a really chewy "buttery" sugar cookie (Turbinado, of course) with organic raspberry preserves slathered in-between.

I am yet to taste one, so I will share my opinion on tomorrow's post. the fun part of this challenge has been that I decide on a daily basis - on a whim - what cookie I am going to bake.

So, look out friends and neighbors because I have a large quantity of cookies in my kitchen and need to share them asap!

On the Very Good Vegan DVD front, we continue speaking with shops allover the country who have expressed an interest in carrying the series. Thank you to everyone out there who has shown their support for my first Vegan Cooking DVD (see http://www.verygoodvegan.com/ for info).

5 Days - 5 New Vegan Cookies Challenge & Ayurvedic Tip of the Week

Vegan Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies w. Maple Syrup Icing

OK, so I have decided that today is Day One of my 5 Day - 5 New Vegan Cookies Challenge. Stay tuned as we will be posting pictures and info daily about this little experiment.

This will not be very challenging as it is winter, I am in New England, the heat generated from my baking keeps the place extra toasty and of course, we do love a new Vegan cookie here at AnnaVeda Kitchen. These cookies are moist, hearty and the icing contains maple syrup, which provides a nice old fashioned cookie vibe.

Heads up Wholesale Buyers! We will be showing our Vegan Cooking DVD Very Good Vegan Volume 1, at the upcoming NY Gift Show at the Jacob Javit's Convention Center in NYC January 25 - 29th. Details will be posted on the site www.VeryGoodVegan.com as well as here on the blog this week.


Ayurvedic Tip of the Week
We realize that Raw Food Diets are very popluar right now, however according to Ayurvedic tradition, your vegetables should be cooked. Your digestive fire - also knowsn as Agni - has to work harder to process raw crunchy foods. So steaming your broccoli, wilting some spinach drizzled with a bit of very good olive oil, blanching some carrots - would all be excellent ways to enjoy fresh vegetables this winter as opposed to making your digestive system work overtime to process raw vegetables. Gently cooking your veggies makes proper digestion & elimination much easier on the body. Just remember - do not overcook your vegetables, steaming, blanching, or a quick sauteeing will always do the trick. Email us at info@annaveda.com if you have any questions about Ayurvedic cooking - it is a great and easy way to make peace with your belly.

Happy New Year Sugar Free Vegan Brownies

Scoop The AnnaVeda Kitchen Guard Cat

Sugar Free Vegan Brownies

Happy New Year everyone, let's make it a healthy one - and none of that one-month-long-resolution eating well malarchy. Here we are in CT on a freezing cold winter's day, working on promoting Very Good Vegan - lo and behold my Sugar Free Vegan Brownies.
After a busy December filled with all sorts of Vegan baked goods (ie: I took the chocolate layer cake from the cover of the Dec. '08 issue of Bon Appetit magazine and created an AWESOME Vegan version) it is time to cut out a bit of the sweet stuff. Give the body time to process, re-adjust and bounce back, if you will...So here you have it, my crack at a sugar-free baked Vegan treat. Not very sweet - beware - however, the dark chocolatey goodness just washes over you and provides something akin to a warm-allover inner sunshine feeling.

8 0z Sugar Free Organic Applesauce
1 Mashed Organic Banana
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1 Tbsp Flax (Ground)
6 Tbsp Water
1 Cup Whole Wheat Organic Flour
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (High Quality Bourbon)
3/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Chopped Vegan Dark Chocolate (Coarse Chunks)

Spray a 9" pan with some canola, line with parchment, hit the parchment with an additional squirt of canola.

In a stand mixer, mash one very ripe banana, add the flax, water, canola, vanilla, applesauce, blend on low speed to combine.

Add all of the dry ingredients and blend just until combined. You may also do all of this by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon if you prefer...

Pour batter and spread it into your prepared pan - bake for 28 minutes at 350 degrees, check it out around 24 minutes with a bamboo skewer or wooden toothpick, when it comes out clean you are all set.

Let cool and use a knife which has been run under very hot water, then dried to cut into very small squares, you may wrap these and refrigerate up to 4 days. Try to give some away and introduce your friends and colleagues to Vegan Sugar Free baking - just give everyone a heads up about the sugar free part...

Ayurvedic Tip Of the Week:

Sip hot water with a squirt lemon juice from a large mug throughout the day all winter long. This helps to keep your system calm, grounded and the lemon gives you some much needed vitamin C. You may fill a large container and take this with you as you travel to and from work, etc. Avoid cold beverages, and say no to ice cubes as they slow dow the digestive process.