Got Soymilk?

I’m not sure what the rule is with double-dipping when it comes to knit cookies…

But I say you should just go for it!  This sweet little Oreo, Newman O, or what-have-you, is so brainless to whip up, I don’t even remember how long it took me to complete.  Knit entirely in garter stitch, I can’t imagine it too much over 1 hour.  Trying to photograph it, I had so much fun, I took about 10 individual pictures that I wish I could use here… But I figured that would kinda be overkill.

See for yourself, these sandwich-creme cookies are irresistible, and you can find a fantastically detailed tutorial on Craftster.com, complete with pictures and diagrams of almost every step.

So pour yourself a tall glass of frothy soymilk, and get knitting! 

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Orange You Glad?

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but just to ensure that I’ve covered my bases: The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller is THE book for crochet, and if you don’t already own it, go run out to the store RIGHT now and buy it. The beauty of it is, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been crocheting for 10 years or if you’ve never picked up a hook in your life. The patterns are enticing and attractive, with easy to follow, well-written instructions. If it hadn’t been for this book, I doubt I would be able to do much more with a crochet hook than weave in ends. The price is a bargain, because I guarantee that you will refer to it endlessly like I do, even when you’re not working on one of the projects included within.

Finally working through some of the projects that I marked over vacation, I decided to first tackle something relatively easy (all single-crochet) but still challenging. The Orange You Glad bag fit the bill perfectly.

At first, I was a bit intimidated by the color changes, as I’m still not very skilled at making them appear natural in knitting.  Nonetheless, I decided to give it my all.  Funny enough, the hardest thing for me in this entire bag was just the first row.  It’s always difficult for me, and ends up taking ridiculous amounts of time, especially of I inadvertently chain too tightly.

But anyway, even while on the train to New York, I figured out how to create a picture in crochet stitches!  It was so exciting, I had no idea it would be so easy!  So while it’s not perfect… I’m really pleased with it.  Not to mention how beautifully it used up some of the scraps of yarn I had in my stash.  Don’t tell anyone, but that green is actually the same one I used in my Skully sweater ages ago!

Hannah (BitterSweet)2 Comments

Toast, of the French Persuasion

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Such is the case today with my prized spring break. In just a few short hours, I’ll find myself back in that institution of learning, where nothing is actually taught.

But reflecting back on the wonderful week now passing, I’ve discovered that I’m one of those rare, perhaps nearly mythical… Morning people. Yes, there is nothing that I savor more than waking up early, the house to myself, and watching the sun rise through the numerous kitchen windows. Coffee in hand, I have all the time in the world to think, to do whatever I desire – The whole day is ahead of me, and there are no commitments for me to fulfill. I can make whatever I want of it, and to me, I find this feeling to be exhilarating.

It would make sense that I’m a lover of breakfast food, right? I wish it were that simple… Of course I am, but I almost never get these beautiful, picture-perfect mornings, even on regular old weekends. It’s always school this and appointments that, so any time that I do get to make a real breakfast…. Usually ends up being for dinner. I know, better than nothing, but… It’s just not the same!

So I took advantage of the situation and tried something I’d never attempted before… french toast. Since I had never tasted regular french toast, I had no way of comparing the vegan version to it, but on its own, I thought it was delightful. My mom was even surprised – To her, what’s french toast but milky, eggy bread? Ridiculously easy and delicious, even on those less-that-gorgeous weekend days.

Yield: Makes 2 - 4 Servings

Sweet & Simple French Toast

Sweet & Simple French Toast

When I first attempted French toast, it was still very early in my "career" as a vegan. Because I had yet to really move into my element in the kitchen, my whole family remained dubious of what could be done without milk or eggs. Still, I persevered and came up with this impossibly buttery, eggy, cinnamon-scented rendition with ease. All it took was one mouthful of this delicious dish for my skeptical loved ones to start thinking about veganism in an entirely different way.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
  • 2 Tablespoons Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Nutritional Yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 Pinch Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk
  • Vegan Butter (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Begin by lightly toasting your bread, allowing it to become a bit firmer, and more receptive to the extra moisture that you will be adding.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients in a shallow pan and make sure that they are evenly distributed.
    Stir in the milk and allow it to sit for a minute or two. Whisk again before using, to ensure that no lumps are left behind. Soak your first two pieces of toast in this wet mixture while heating up a skillet on the stove. Grease the pan lightly with a nonstick spray, or a small pat of vegan butter, if desired.
  3. Flip your toast over and let the wet mixture absorb into the other side for another minute or two.
  4. Once they appear to be fully saturated, carefully lift the slices out with a large spatula and place them into the hot skillet. On medium high heat, fry them for approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side. Everyone’s stove is different, so keep a close eye on your toast.
  5. Once nicely browned and crisp on the outside, transfer the toast to a plate, and repeat the process with the two remaining bread slices. Serve with maple syrup, fruit spread, or powdered sugar as you see fit.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 174Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 331mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 3gSugar: 10gProtein: 7g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: French / Category: Breakfast and Brunch

Hannah (BitterSweet)2 Comments

So Cheesey

I’ve been experimenting with making my own patterns again…

…And so I’ve come up with this, mushroom / onion pizza!  I’m still not entirely satisfied with the look of the mushrooms, but I think it works overall…  My nutritionist hinted that knit pizza would be awesome in her office, and since she’s getting married in two weeks and will be off the job for some time, I wanted her last gift from me to be extra special.  I’m really happy for her, she’s such a wonderfully kind person and deserves someone who agrees to the millionth degree.

Anyways, if there’s any interest out there, I could write up the instructions for the pizza pattern sometime later this week…  Any takers? 

Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Flower Basket Shawl

I long to knit intricate lacy things, or at least items more complicated than a little stuffed toy. Sadly, my regular schedule doesn’t really permit this, as I don’t have enough time to sit and concentrate on a complicated pattern, and I certainly couldn’t take it with me and work on it in between appointment. Thankfully, this vacation time has allowed me to finish my Flower Basket Shawl, and I must say I’m very proud of the end product.

The pattern is from Interweave Knits, Fall 2004 issue, but I somehow downloaded it in PDF form for free. I can’t seem to find this file anymore, but if anyone’s interested in making their own, I could try to email it to you? Trust me, this shawl was so much fun to make, it’s really worth your effort!

So here it is, pre-blocking, rather curly and unimpressive on my bed…

Oh, and do you see that little thread to the side of it? That is literally all that’s left of the yarn. I was so scared I would run out at the very end, I was having a nervous fit as I bound off! It used exactly 6 skeins of Cotton Classic (With the yarn doubled-over) for a grand total of $36. I know that this may seem pathetic, but that’s the most I’ve ever paid for a single project. As you can see, I usually make really small things from cheapo acrylic, because it doesn’t matter if a knit vegetable isn’t so soft, for example.

So anyway, I laid it out to block yesterday…

…And was certainly rewarded for my patience.

I really love this shawl. Never mind that I have no clue when it’ll get worn, it’s exactly what I was hoping for. Beautiful, elegant… and PURPLE. I swear, I was practically seizing when I saw how rich this hue of yarn was at the store. I think it’s perfect for this pattern.

And now I have a reason to use my brand new brooch!

Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

Chocolate Peanut Butter Scones

…And as always, I return to the world of chocolate. Nothing sinfully rich, but definitely a treat nonetheless. I wanted to congratulate my mom on making it through the whole week of passover without having any wheat or leavened items, so I baked her scones with a new recipe. It’s something I ear-marked a long time ago from Baking Sheet and converted easily to veganism.

With peanut butter mixed into the batter and chocolate chips speckled throughout, this recipe may be a bit much for breakfast and could even be considered a dessert. Whenever you choose to eat it, though, these delicious scones will have you coming back for seconds.

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