okara olympics •

Today I ran out of soy milk, and realized that I had a container of okara still in the refrigerator from my last batch of soy milk. Rather than chuck another container of okara in there, I took a deep breath and started a baking marathon. I put my KitchenAid mixer, my waffle iron, and bread maker  in service all at the same time. After making a big batch of Buttermilk Waffles, I left them to cool. I wrapped them individually in foil packages, and placed the waffles in freezer bags. The little darlings can now pull them out of the freezer and toast them up in a hurry. I used my KitchenAid to mix and knead dough for Quick Dinner Rolls. I had delicious, warm rolls to accompany our supper that evening, with leftovers for this week’s sandwiches. The bread maker was doing it’s thing with all the ingredients for Multigrain Bread, which we can use for sandwiches or toast. Now all I have left to do is figure out what to do with my new batch of okara. Definitely something chocolate.

Buttermilk Waffles •

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

4 eggs

2-1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup oil

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained)

In another mixing bowl sift together:

2 cups white unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Make waffles according to your waffle iron’s manual. I use a well-rounded 1/2 cup of batter. Bake until golden brown, about three to three and a half minutes. Makes approximately 14 (7") waffles.

Multigrain Bread for your Bread Maker •

Find Recipe Here.

Quick Dinner Rolls •

1 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained)

1/2 cup safflower oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 to 2-1/2 cups white unbleached flour

2 tablespoons yeast

In a large mixing bowl (your KitchenAid bowl if you are using it), stir together 2 cups of flour and the yeast. In a small saucepan, heat soy milk, okara, oil, honey and salt until very warm (125 degrees). Pour into flour/yeast mixture. Beat approximately 2 - 3 minutes with your KitchenAid (or by hand 300 strokes). Switch to the dough hook and add the rest of the flour to make a soft dough. Knead well for 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Pinch off dough into golf-ball sized balls. Place on greased baking sheets and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until lightly browned. Makes approximately 12 - 15 rolls.

cinnamon raisin bread •

Vegan Cinnamon Raisin Bread •

After my success with Multigrain Bread for my bread machine, I wanted to come up with a recipe utilizing soy milk and keep it vegan. This cinnamon raisin bread is not too sweet, is healthy, and toasts up beautifully. Follow your machine’s instructions for layering wet and dry ingredients. All ingredients should be at room temperature or warm. I usually pour hot water into my bread pan first to warm it, assemble my ingredients, then empty the water. I layer my ingredients in this order:

1 cup warm vanilla soy milk

1 cup warm wet okara (this is referring to the okara right from your machine, not drained) or tofu

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons canola oil

2-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour

2/3 cup rolled oats

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2-1/4 teaspoons yeast

1 to 1-1/2 cups raisins (set aside)

Use the setting on your bread machine for a large rapid rise whole wheat loaf. When the bread machine starts the kneading cycle, add the raisins a 1/4 cup at a time, until incorporated. After your machine kneads the dough, open the lid and check that it is coming together into a ball. If not, add warm water, a little at a time, waiting a few minutes in between. If the ball looks too sticky in the beginning of kneading, add some flour a little at a time. 

puffed apple pancake •

I know from reading food blogs and conversing on Twitter that a lot of you put a mighty fine dinner on the table every night. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. You will find me, more often than not, parked in front of the refrigerator or pantry at 6:00 p.m. staring blankly at what is inside. I have great intentions, of course. I read cooking blogs, bookmarking tons of recipes. I gather my cookbooks and read them for entertainment. I love to thumb through magazines drooling over photos, and conjuring up fabulous meals. In my dreams. The reality is that usually I am missing a vital ingredient, or I forgot to defrost, or I am just too tired to face that elaborate recipe. Yesterday evening was just that sort of evening. I came home from work tired, hungry and cold. The little darlings were circling the kitchen, stressing me out. I eyed the bright green apples on the counter in the stages of getting mushy. “Who wants a pancake?”

Puffed Apple Pancake •

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup unbleached white flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon coriander (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small mixing bowl whisk:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained)

2/3 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until mixed. Set aside.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups sliced Granny Smith apples

1/4 cup brown sugar

Melt the butter in an iron skillet. Cook the apples and brown sugar (over medium heat) for approximately ten minutes. Pour the batter entirely over all the apples in the skillet. Place in hot oven and reduce temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until browned, about 15 to 18 minutes. Run a knife around edges of skillet, and flip over onto a plate or platter. Dust with Confectioners' sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup.

okara egg bake •

I tend to make this dish when I can’t bear to hear any more complaints in my day. Any one of my readers with children old enough to speak will know where I am coming from. Now, I know they are darlings. Of course you love them. Unconditionally. But after one of those days where you bounce from one crabby darling  to the next, and your patience was left down in the laundry room where you picked up another hamper full of supposedly dirty clothes, the last thing you want to hear out of their mouths is how much they really don’t like the dinner that you just spent two hours on. Now, this doesn’t happen very often in my house. Because frankly, if it did, they would be cooking their own dinners. But it does happen, usually when we are all too hungry, too tired (nap times were abandoned long ago) and too hormonal to show each other some common courtesy. The darlings love this recipe; it is not too spicy, it is full of their favorite vegetable and cheese. Their only complaint (you knew there had to be one) is that there isn’t more to enjoy the next day. I think I can live with that one.

Okara Egg Bake •

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons unbleached white flour

1 cup milk 

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained or dried)

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry

3 cups chopped broccoli, cooked and drained

1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

3 green onions, sliced thinly

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt, and quickly whisk in milk. Stir constantly until thickened. Add cheddar cheese to white sauce and stir until melted. Add okara, and mix well. Add egg yolks slowly, whisking well. Add nutmeg, parsley and black pepper, broccoli, red pepper and onions. Fold in beaten egg whites. Butter a casserole dish (approximately one and a half quart), sides and bottom. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, pressing it up on the sides of casserole. Set the casserole dish inside a 13" x 9" baking pan that has water in it one inch deep. Pour in egg mixture. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until puffy, golden brown and center is set.

okara sunshine granola •

I have mentioned before about the early morning rush at our house. Anything that can be pulled out of the pantry, blurry-eyed, and eaten without too much fuss rates big here. I try and keep granola made up since it fits that criteria. It cuts down on the consumption of ready-made cereal, too. 

Okara Sunshine Granola •

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl combine:

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

1/4 cup canola oil

3 teaspoons orange extract

In a large mixing bowl combine:

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup ground flaxseed 

1/2 cup ground walnuts

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. You might have to end up using your hands. In two (greased) 9" x 13" pans, crumble the granola mixture evenly. Bake mixture 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, breaking apart clumps if necessary until slightly browned. After 25 minutes, add 2/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries and 2/3 cup chopped dates. Check often in the last 5 to 10 minutes, and do not allow the granola to brown too much. Let the granola cool in the pans completely. Store in a closed container.

okara waffles with blueberry sauce •

It’s Saturday morning and you know what that means. Yep, the little darlings are requesting that I fix a hot breakfast! I inherited my waffle iron from my sister seven years ago when she was packing up to move across several states. After 18 years, she was purging big time. We were in the kitchen going through cabinets when we ran across a classic retro chrome waffle iron. “I never use this thing, you want it?” she asked me. I whipped my hands out and took that waffle iron from her so fast I gave her arm a rope burn from the cord. “Oh, I guess I’ll take it” I replied coolly. Wonderfully seasoned, the waffle iron bakes waffles with a delightfully crunchy crust. The blueberry sauce is a nice change from maple syrup, and gives the darlings some added vitamins.

Okara Waffles with Blueberry Sauce •

Preheat your waffle iron.

In a large mixing bowl sift:

2 cups unbleached white flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a small mixing bowl whisk together:

2 eggs, beaten until fluffy

1-1/3 cups vanilla soy milk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine)

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Make waffles according to your waffle iron’s manual. I use a well-rounded 1/2 cup of batter. Bake until golden brown, about three to three and a half minutes. Hold the waffles in warm oven until all have been cooked. Serve with Blueberry Sauce if desired.

Blueberry Sauce •

4 cups blueberries (frozen is fine, if thawed add the juice)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Over medium heat, stir constantly until mixture begins to heat up and break down (At this point I usually mash the berries to release more juice). Reduce heat and cook until almost boiling and sauce appears transparent. Serve immediately.

dried apple okara muffins •

I am a better baker than a cook, which isn’t saying much. I had to start somewhere so I decided to start with something not too ambitious...muffins. My kids have to be at school at 7:30 a.m. Not leave for school at that time but actually be sitting at their desks, eager and Ready To Learn. I am sure there are plenty of early risers out there, but I am not one of them and neither are my darlings. Needless to say, the kids are on their own for breakfast. I try to make my muffins as healthy as I can get away with and have them actually eat them. I have a wonderful mother who stills enjoys canning, freezing, and drying fruits and vegetables. Since I provided her with grandchildren she repays me in sharing her bounty. I have her to thank for some delicious dried apple slices. These muffins are moist and keep well in a covered container when completely cool.

Dried Apple Muffins •

Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl:

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup wet okara (this is referring to the okara straight from your machine, not drained or dried)

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

Sift together in a large mixing bowl:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal

1 teaspoon  cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

4 teaspoons baking powder

Toss in:

 

1 cup chopped dried apples

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fill your muffin tins with enough paper liners for 16 muffins, or generously grease and flour your tins.  Spoon the batter into the liners about two-thirds full.* Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly brown. You can test them with a wooden toothpick; if it comes out clean take them out. Depending on the wetness of your okara, the baking times might be slightly different. Cool for 10 minutes,  take muffins out of tins and place on wire racks to cool completely. If you use paper liners, you must cool the muffins completely or the muffins will stick to the liner. Makes one and a half dozen.

*One of the items I would have a hard time living without in my kitchen is my stainless steel scoop from Pampered Chef®. It makes filling muffin tins so easy.