Author: Hannah (BitterSweet)

Author of My Sweet Vegan, Vegan Desserts, Vegan a la Mode, and Easy as Vegan Pie.

A Heart-Felt Thank You x 280

Well. I certainly wasn’t expecting that. That being the amazing love-fest and outpouring of support that resulted from my itty-bitty little giveaway. Reading through each comment, one by one, pausing to take them all in, I quickly found myself in tears- And crying is something that I try in earnest to limit, so trust me when I say that your words truly touched me. More often than not, it will be some ungodly hour of the night/morning that I plunk myself down in front of the keyboard and begin pounding away, writing to no one in particular and wondering if these words will even reach human eyes. The distance that the world wide web puts between a blogger and a reader makes it hard to really feel connected, but you guys have proven, time and again, that you are really out there. Reading carefully, examining photos, understanding and thinking… It just boggles my mind. In short, thank you for giving me another 280 reasons to keep blogging.

So, let’s get to the real reason that you’re all here today at least; The giveaway!

Our first winner to get a copy of My Sweet Vegan is…

Breedale, who left me comment #188! Congrats!

And the second book goes to…

Lucky comment number 86, who happens to be Sayward!

I’ll be in touch with both of you shortly! And for the rest of you wonderful readers, don’t feel discouraged- I happen to know that there will be another giveaway, and very soon indeed.

Hope everyone has a lovely Valentine’s Day!

Hannah (BitterSweet)16 Comments

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates…

Plain dark chocolate, mocha, strawberry-filled, mint, plain white chocolate, ricemilk, maple, and raspberry white chocolate. Such a vast selection could easily be overwhelming if not clearly marked, but perhaps the real surprise in this box of chocolates…

…Is that they’re actually not even edible!  What better gift for a sweetie watching their sugar intake, or a long-distance lover who might otherwise recieve puddles of melted truffles after a long journey through the postal system?  After already overdosing on so many Valentine’s delights, I think I might want to stick with this felt version for just a little while longer!

Hannah (BitterSweet)41 Comments

Give Them Your Heart!

Even if you’re more cynical about the upcoming “holiday” or have no sweetheart to dote upon, Valentine’s Day is, at the very least, an excellent excuse to eat chocolate. Store-bought delights abound at this time of year, even for those avoiding dairy, but a homemade option will almost always trump the ready-made, in both taste and ingredients. Basic truffles can be whipped up in no time at all, giving them the added bonus of being a fantastic last-minute gift as well.

For me, however, I would much rather a bit more than just a nugget of intense, rich, and almost overwhelming chocolate- As decadent as they are, I must admit that I find them a bit… boring. Where’s the spice, the zest, the excitement? That’s why I immediately thought to revisit my chocolate cherry truffles from My Sweet Vegan. Composed primarily of fruit and cocoa, they’re actually a lesser evil when it comes to sweet confections!

A happy accident led me to use sweetened cranberries instead of cherries (I swear the bags looked exactly the same!), and going with the flow, I threw in a teaspoon of lemon zest as well. Rolling the slab of enriched fruit out between two silpats to a thickness of about 1/2 inch, a very small heart-shaped cookie cutter created a much more festive presentation than the standard hand-rolled spheres. After a quick dip into melted chocolate, I had a very sweet Valentine’s gift, indeed.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at the situation, these hearts were meant to be broken.

Hannah (BitterSweet)42 Comments

Veggie Love

Come Valentine’s Day, it would seem that one edible aphrodisiac is on the mind and one only; Chocolate. While I may have my own chocolate-covered plans as well, it’s a crying shame that vegetables are barely even considered when it comes time for a seductive or romantic dinner.

Light, fresh, and invigorating foods should be what’s on the menu, and what could fit the bill better than those much-maligned vegetables? Thank goodness for Vegetable Love 2009, which asks everyone to think of sexy veggie recipes for the holiday.

For an occasion such as this, I tend to think that simplicity should reign, lest that complicated unchicken cordon bleu ends up burning in the oven while you’re busy fussing over the already over-reduced pan sauce you’re making on the stove. Nope, I’ll stick with something fool-proof and guaranteed to satisfy, thank you very much!

Roasted red pepper soup is certainly nothing extraordinary in and of itself, but with a simple garnish of “sour cream” hearts, this unassuming starter is sure to kick of your meal on the right foot. Flavorful without being heavy or cloying like many pureed soups can be, this one definitely won’t weigh you down.

Yield: Makes 1 - 2 Servings

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Flavorful without being heavy or cloying like many pureed soups can be, this one light starter won’t weigh you down.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Large Red Bell Peppers
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1/4 Medium Onion
  • 1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, and place your peppers on a baking pan lined with a sheet of aluminum. Roast for 25 – 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, smash your cloves of garlic and roughly chop the onion. Move them into a medium saucepan, and add in the broth and bay leaf. Set over medium heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
  3. Once the outsides of the peppers are nicely charred, pull them out of the oven and crimp another sheet of aluminum on top to form a nice little package. Let it rest for 10 minutes to steam. Peel the skin off and remove the seeds and membrane. Transfer the cleaned peppers into your blender or food processor. Remove the bay leaf from the broth, and pour the contents of the saucepan, along with the vinegar. Thoroughly puree until completely smooth, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

To make the hearts or just a creamy topping to swirl in, mix together 2 tablespoons of vegan sour cream and 1 teaspoon of plain non-dairy milk until smooth. Transfer the mixture into a small piping bag or squeeze bottle. Squeeze two small dots right next to each other onto the surface of the soup, and then drag a toothpick right down the center, between them. Wipe off the toothpick between hearts to keep it clean and separate.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 54Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 651mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Soups and Stews

Hannah (BitterSweet)58 Comments

3 Years…

…And still going strong! It’s hard to believe that BitterSweet has been around for so long, and how far this baby of mine has gone. But really, it’s not the blog that I want to celebrate on this joyous blogoversary- It’s the people that made it possible. All of the encouragement, inspiration, and camaraderie I’ve found through this humble creative outlet is a true testament to the fact that there really are a whole lot of thoughtful and compassionate people in this world. Even if you’ve never commented before, the fact that you’re reading this right now makes a difference. Whether you’ve been following my ramblings from the very beginning or you just tuned in last week, thank you for reading. As a special little thank you gift, I thought it would only be fitting to give away two copies of My Sweet Vegan! You have until one week from now to enter.  As the winner will be announced on February 14th, Valentine’s Day, it only seemed fitting to award two people on this day for pairs.

If you want to win my book, then just leave me a comment (no double-commenting, please) and tell me: What’s your favorite part of BitterSweet? What makes you want to come back for more? The recipes, stories, pictures, crafts, or something else? Or a combination? Yes, I’m nosy and I just want to know, but I also want to know how I can continue to make the blog better, and provide more material that the majority of readers want to see. Sound like a good deal? Just tell me what you think!

And, in honor of this third blogoversary, I thought it was about time to air some of the gems I’ve been saving for these past three years- Some of the most entertaining search terms that led some lost souls here! None of the search terms that follow have been altered in any way. If you’re drinking coffee, I suggest you put it down for a moment, lest you spray it all over your keyboard…

disturbing bananas
IF HELL GOT FROZEN
cannibalism
dumbass cakes
tongue bars
homemade cereal killer and victim hallow
constipated pumpkin face
crocheted boob pattern
t & t supermarket tripe radish soup
swear finger
vegan in a can
what does sour puss taste like?
don’t eat me i love you pizza
my family is hot dogs
did an alligator really have five legs
adding flavor to crack cocaine
100 bricks of coccaine
bald painful tongue
turd sprinkles

…All I can say is, I hope these very unique visitors eventually found what they were searching for, even if they definitely didn’t find it here…

So I’m hoping that no one says that any of the above are reasons that they’ve been perusing the blog, but do let me know where your interests lie and enter to win a copy of my book!

Hannah (BitterSweet)284 Comments

Brewing Up Something Sweet

Having thoroughly enjoyed a good number of cups of Brewed Chocolate since writing the review, it was only a matter of time before it became an ingredient in one of my desserts. Straddling the line between coffee and chocolate, it wasn’t hard to find complimentary flavors to pair with it… Namely, chocolate and coffee!

Letting the brewed chocolate shine in a simple cheesecake base, it would have been easy enough to make it like a traditional dessert, but after witnessing so many inspiring plated works of art being assembled, I simply couldn’t contain my desire to follow suit.

The “crust” is sprinkled on the side in the form of cocoa-coffee soil, veganized from this recipe just by using margarine instead of butter. A few drops of clear caramel sauce complete the plate, while the cheesecake itself is topped with whipped soy cream and a broken chocolate mendiant with cacao nibs. Pretty simple still, but a whole lot more fun than just a plain old cheesecake, if you ask me!

Of course, with extra cheesecake, I decided to play around with a second presentation, much more like an individual trifle. The soil is scooped into the bottom of a glass, which is then topped by smaller cubes of cheesecake, and then a whole mendiant. This is one that I can definitely see making again for a larger crowd, as it’s just as much work as making regular old parfaits.

You could certainly bake the crust into the bottom if you’d prefer, but this is one recipe that is delicious however you serve it. It only makes a very small amount, so if you’re planning on having company, I would suggest doubling the recipe and baking it in an 8 x 8 pan instead.

Brewed Chocolate Cheesecake

1 8-Ounce Package Vegan “Cream Cheese”
1/4 Cup Vegan “Sour Cream”, or Pureed Extra-Firm Silken Tofu
1/3 Cup Brewed Chocolate
1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.

Begin by beating the “cream cheese” in your stand mixer until soft and creamy. Add in all of the other ingredients, and mix thoroughly until completely smooth and homogeneous. Pour the cheesecake mixture into your prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until set around the edges but still wobbly in the center when tapped. Let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan, and then chill, covered, for at least 2 hours until cold all the way through. Cut into squares or cubes and serve as desired.

Printable Recipe

Hannah (BitterSweet)47 Comments