VEGAN HERB GARLIC LOAF

I figured since I did a pasta post the other day that it was only fitting to post my garlic loaf. I love fresh baked bread. With some earth balance spread on it. Mmm! This loaf is really soft and moist. Its great to store for later dates. The freshly grated garlic on top really adds to the flavour of the bread.  I wish it wasn't winter time or I would have used the fresh herbs from my , garden!  Thats truly the best way to have fresh bread.  If you haven't tried growing your own herbs and cooking/baking with it, you haven't lived yet! Its so simple and as long as you have full sun for at least one month of the year (which mostly everyone does) you can do it! Its also so amazing to watch plants grow from seed as well as rewarding to eat what you grow.  Herbs make neat gifts too. Not to mention they look great in your garden bed. I cant wait for summer time so I can post tips and pictures about gardening! Anyways its late and I'm off to bed. Enjoy my herby garlic bread!

VEGAN HERB GARLIC LOAF

Recipe

2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
3 cloves of garlic, grated
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 regular sized can of coconut milk

Steps

Preheat your oven to 375F. In a large bowl combine all your dry ingredients. Beat with a fork to ensure all lumps are out of the mix. Once everything is combined well,  make a well in the middle of your bowl using your fork. Add half of your grated garlic. Add your olive oil then coconut milk.  Begin to mix together with a big spoon. Mix together for 10 minutes.  Once your dough is set ( it should be pretty wet so if theres any dry ingredients showing then add tablespoons of water one at a time. Oil a thin long baking pan with olive oil. Make sure the sides are all covered in oil as well because your loaf will rise. Using a spatula,  scrap your dough into your pan. Smooth the top out with your spatula and sprinkle your other grated garlic on top.

 Place in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving smothered in butter. Mmmm. Enjoy!

VEGAN CALZONES

VEGAN CALZONES

Veganmofo month has come to an end and I loved it! I can definitely say I will be doing it next year and I will be getting much more detailed in my posts! I got 800 views just in the month of September so thanks to everyone who liked or shared my blog :) Calzones are so expensive to buy and so easy to make! I bought a new kind of flour that has made my pizza crust 10x better. Its called caputo flour. A local vegan friendly pizza restaurant, FAMOSO here uses it and they are the best pizzas you can get in Victoria! Really authentic italian. Here's a picture of the store bought kind I got

Its much lighter and fluffier. Alot easier to knead the dough. Its really good for throwing in the air to thin it too. I highly recommend trying this pizza dough if you're really into baking like me:)  Here's my recipe for Vegan Calzones. I hope you enjoy them!

RECIPE

makes 2 calzones

Dough:
3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1 package instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
handful of fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary
1 1/2 garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil



Filling:
Old newmans honey garlic barbecue sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 purple onion, diced
6 manzanilla olives, sliced
1 can of corn, drained
handful of artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 orange pepper, diced
1/2 package of yves ground chicken
Your choice of vegan cheese

Me and my boyfriend got to try this new kind it rules!!!

STEPS

Preheat your oven to 400 F

Get one cup of warm water in a measuring cup and sprinkle your yeast on top. Be careful to make sure your water isn't too warm or it'll kill your yeast. Let the yeast stand in water for 10 minutes.

While your yeast is mixing you can combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl for your dough. Mix together well and create a well in the middle. Add your yeast water mixture and your olive oil and begin to mix together to form dough. Once your dough is formed begin to knead fro 10 minutes. The longer you knead your dough the better. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

While your dough is rising you can prepare all your vegetables. My boyfriend and I made ours with bbq sauce but this recipe would work great with tomato paste! The nice thing about calzones is you can put anything you want inside!

Fry your chicken for 5 minutes before you put them into your calzone. I added a couple drops of liquid smoke to make mine even better. 

Once your dough has risen for 30 minutes it should be about double in size. If its not let it rise longer! Knead your dough for ten minutes and split into two equal halves. 

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface, nice and thin. It should be about a 1/4 inch thick. Its easier to make the calzones if you roll your dough into a rectangle rather than a circle. Once you've reached your desired size you can begin to add your toppings starting with the sauce and ending with the cheese. Add your toppings to one side of your dough so you can fold it over and seal it. 

Press the sides with a fork to seal your 

calzone completely. Place on a lightly oiled pan. Rub oil on the outside so the top browns and pop it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes:) I broiled mine for 5 minutes at the end to make the top perfect.