Recipe: Creamy Tahini Dressing

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you have probably noticed that I tend to eat lots of salads. Despite the fact that the temperatures have been below freezing almost constantly during the past few weeks, I’m still craving fresh produce on a daily basis.

But even the tastiest greens need an equally tasty dressing. I’ve been making variations of this basic dressing for quite a long time, so I guess I need to finally share my recipe. I love that this dressing is so smooth and creamy, even without a single drop of dairy in it.

Creamy Tahini Dressing

This recipe is just a template, so feel free to experiment with your favorite nut or seed butters, vinegars, sweeteners, and herbs. In my opinion, this dressing pairs well with any kind of salad.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Yield: Makes about 1-2 servings

*Vegetarian*Vegan*Gluten-Free*

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2-3 Tbsp water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: fresh, frozen, or dried herbs, e.g. dill, basil, parsley, etc.

Directions:

Pour the first four ingredients into a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Gradually add vinegar and water and keep mixing until the dressing looks smooth. Finally, season to taste with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs.

The dressing keeps well in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.

Variations:

If you don’t like tahini, you could use almond butter instead. For an Italian twist, add balsamic instead of apple cider vinegar, and add some basil and/or oregano.

Enjoy!

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Recipe: German Gingerbread (Lebkuchen)

I know, I’m a bit late posting a holiday recipe on December 22nd. But maybe there are some last-minute bakers like me out there.

This is a veganized version of my favorite seasonal treat. As those Lebkuchen contain no flour, they are potentially gluten-free.

German Gingerbread (Lebkuchen)

This flour-less version of the classic German gingerbread is also known as ‘Elisenlebkuchen’, and surprisingly easy to make. Things may get a little messy, but the tasty results are totally worth it.

Prep time: 30 minutes + at least 60 minutes resting time

Baking time: 15-20 minutes

Yield: Makes about 20 servings

*Vegetarian*Vegan*Gluten free*(check labels)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (50 g) candied orange peel
• 1/2 cup (50 g) candied lemon peel
• 3 Tbsp rum (or orange juice or water)
• 1 cup (100 g) finely ground hazelnuts
• 2 cups (200 g) finely ground almonds
• 3 tsp gingerbread spice mix (or 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp ginger, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of coriander)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 3 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp non-dairy milk (e.g. soy, rice, or almond milk)
• 1/3 cup (80 g) brown sugar
• 1 tbsp molasses
• a tiny dash of salt

Optional:

• 3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate

Or

• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 1-2 tsp lemon juice or water

Directions:

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Finely chop the candied orange and lemon peel. Mix with rum, juice, or water in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, mix the flax seeds with water and non-dairy milk. Let that mixture sit for a few minutes until it has thickened. Combine the ground nuts, spice mix, and baking powder in a large bowl.

In another bowl mix the flax mixture, sugar, molasses, and salt with an electric mixer for about five minutes until foamy and smooth. Then add the candied orange and lemon peels and the dry ingredients and combine gently.

Spread the dough onto the baking sheets using a tablespoon. Smooth the surface with wet fingers. The lebkuchen should be as thick as your thumb and about 3-4 inches in diameter.

Let the lebkuchen rest at room temperature for about 60 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Bake the lebkuchen for 15-20 minutes until they firm up a little and turn slightly brown, but they should still be a little soft on the inside. Let them cool on the sheets.

Now you can leave the lebkuchen as they are, or cover them either in chocolate or sugar icing. For the chocolate version slowly melt some dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler, then thinly coat the top of the lebkuchen (I use a silicone pastry brush for this step). Alternatively, you could mix some powdered sugar with just a little bit of lemon juice or water, and use that mix as a coating instead.

Stored in a tin box, the lebkuchen stay soft and delicious for a few weeks, especially the coated ones.

***

Happy baking!

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Happy Birthday Grandma Rosa

Today Husband and I went out to have lunch with my family, to celebrate my Grandma’s 85th birthday. That’s right, this little lady is 85 years old and sharp as a tack!

Grandma Rosa

I thought this was a great opportunity to show you what my usual vegetarian meal options look like in a typical Bavarian/German restaurant.

Salad

I was surprised to find a pretty decent self-serve salad bar. The options were limited, but everything was fresh. My bowl contained mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh radish, and potato salad. The typical Bavarian potato salad is made with a light vinaigrette and without mayonnaise. This one even contained fresh dill. It was amazing!

Käsespätzle with fried onions

Unfortunately, my entrée was not as good. My only option was a dish called ‘Käsespätzle’, which is the South German version of mac and cheese. It was quite heavy and very salty.

Sometimes it’s hard to be a health-conscious vegetarian around here, especially when it comes to eating out, but I’ve learned to make it work. I know that this meal wasn’t quite as healthy as I’d like, but hey, it’s just one meal! Now I’m back home and can eat as much fruit and vegetables as I desire.

See you!

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Recipe: Lemon Sugar Cookies

And the Cookie Craze continues! Are you already sugared out? I’m close, but not quite there yet.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookies

These cookies are for the lemon lovers out there. Plus, they’re quite cute, aren’t they?

Note: I used a converter for the volume measurements, so I can’t guarantee for their accuracy! To be safe, use the metric measurements!

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus about 1 hour to chill in the fridge

Bake time: 8 – 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 50 bite-sized cookies

*Vegetarian*

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/2 cup (60 g) confectioner’s sugar
• 2/3 cup (150 g) cold butter
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 pinch of salt
• zest of one organic lemon

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, for icing
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice, for icing
• sugar sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and egg yolk. Add flour and knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes, until it can be formed into one big ball.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for at least one hour.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-heat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C).

Dust a cutting board with some flour. Roll out half of the dough about 1/4 inch thick with a flour dusted rolling pin. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter and transfer to the lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake the cookies for 8 – 10 minutes, until the edges turn slightly golden.

Let cookies cool completely. Mix confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice. If the mixture appears too thin, add more sugar. Spread icing onto the cookies with a baking brush or a teaspoon. Decorate with sugar sprinkles and let the icing harden for at least 30 minutes.

***

Enjoy!

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Recipe: Thumbprint Cookies (Husarenkrapferl)

Here’s another one of our favorite cookie recipes. In Germany they’re called Husarenkrapferl, which literally translates to hussar’s donuts (don’t ask me why). They look a lot like thumbprint cookies, but the ingredients and preparation steps vary a little. The biggest difference is that you add the jam before baking the cookies.

Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies (Husarenkrapferl)

This cookie recipe is another quick and easy one. Perfect for those who don’t have a lot of time but still want to eat homemade cookies. Just like me. Feel free to use a different kind of jam, like blackberry, strawberry, or apricot. As long as they don’t contain any chunks, they should all work just fine.

Note: I used a converter for the volume measurements, so I can’t guarantee for their accuracy! To be safe, use the metric measurements!

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus about 1 hour to chill in the fridge

Bake time: 12 – 15 minutes

Yield: Makes about 50 bite-sized cookies

*Vegetarian*

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 3/4 cup (85 g) blanched almonds, finely ground
• 1/3 cup (75 g) sugar
• 2/3 cup (150 g) soft butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup (150 g) smooth raspberry jam
• Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and salt. Then add the egg yolks and mix them in. Add flour and ground almonds and proceed to knead the dough with your hands. After a few minutes, the dough will come together and you can shape it into a big ball.

Dust a cutting board with some flour to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each one into a long roll, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough rolls tightly in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for at least one hour.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-heat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C).

Cut the dough rolls into slices, about 1 inch thick. Roll the slices into small balls, place them on the lined baking sheets and make a deep indentation in each ball, either with your finger or with the bottom of a thick wooden spoon. Put the jam into a small plastic bag and cut off one corner to create a very small hole. Squirt the jam into the holes of the balls.

Bake the cookies for 12 – 15 minutes, until they turn slightly golden.

Let cookies cool completely and dust them with some confectioner’s sugar.

***

Enjoy!

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