Parma Vegan Parmasan Pure Cheesiness

 Vegans and vegetarians have a hard time with cheeses. Most of the time they can be gummy and zero flavor. It's even worse when it comes to Parmesan cheeses. They can be tasteless, adding nothing to the dishes they're sprinkled on. Yet there's a new cheese out there that tastes like freshly grated Parmesan.

These are Parma, vegan Parmesan cheese that comes in the original and Garlicky Green flavors as well as Chipotle Cayenne and Better Than Bacon.The company is a subsidiary of Sister River Foods which features healthy produces for healthy eating. I love the Garlicky Green, chock full of  dried basil and dried oregano in it. it is delicious on gnocchi. I sprinkled it on a plate of the potato puffs and it really amped up the flavor of both their flavor and the sauce.

I plan on making a cannllini bruschetta with it (which will be posted) along with using the Original for simple farfalla or butterfly pasta soup. The Parma cheeses will also be good for pizzas too, especially the Chipotle Cayenne and the Better Than Bacon flavor for extra taste and zing.  I may even sprinkle some on popcorn for a good for you version of cheese corn.They do need to be refrigerated, although thanks to their great taste, will not be there for long. The  cheeses are made from nutritional yeast, walnuts sunflower and hemp seeds. 

Vegan and vegetarians rejoice! Parma has given you four tasty cheeses that's perfect for Italian dishes and snacks. Try them today in your pasta or snacks.

Into The Mix

Cake and cookie mixes can be time saving yet they really don't let home bakers get all too creative. However there's nothing wrong with adding to the mixes, spiking them up with flavor or color. It makes for fun baking and eating.

One of the easiest mixes to doctor are brownie ones.Yes, they're good on their own but they can be amped up. I recently did this with Duncan Hines Milk Chocolate Brownie mix. The mix does produce a delicious treat but I wanted something extra. Walnuts are the perfect nut for brownies, they go hand in hand.I added a small package of broken pieces or chips and they gave so much to the recipe.  You could add pecans or peanuts too if you wanted to. The Duncan Hines site has recipes for amaretto brownies along with ones spiked with ground red pepper. If you're adding this, experiment with various pinches of pepper. What you may think is not hot may be a four alarm fire for someone else. Cake mixes can also have an add in or two. Coffee granules can elevate any dark chocolate cake. A small dash of liquor  or even soaking a cake mix cake in rum. The last is the ultimate holiday cake, especially with a homemade hard sauce. Sprinkle cakes are still the cake of the moment. Just remember to add ONLY  quarter of a cup.  I used a full cup once and ended up with  two layers of unbaked disaster. Keep in mind that the sprinkles don't always have to be multicolored. Have all pink or all blue for reveal cakes. Use red and green for Christmas and orange ones in a chocolate cake for Halloween.

Cookie mixes can also be zinged up with all sorts of add ins. Over the years I've added mini chocolate chips to the Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix and red and green sprinkles to their sugar cookie mix. Any of these are fun add ins  - especially for a holiday tray or bake sale. M &M's are another great add in, whether they're the regular size or  the mini ones.One of the best additions is Hershey's Kisses to make Blossom cookies. They can be the traditional peanut butter ones or use a sugar cookie mix. Dust with cocoa powder after they're baked for an extra layer of flavor.If you're craving something healthier then think about tossing in some Raisins or Craisins - dried cranberries. They both add an old fashioned sweetness and color to any cookie, especially the spice and oatmeal ones. Nuts can also be a nice add in.  Put the nuts in a chopper first for a finer texture.Think pecans or walnuts to add more of a buttery flavor. Another fun idea is turning the cookies into sandwich ones.The filling is an easy mix of confectioner's sugar, vegetable shortening, butter and a few drops of vanilla extract. You could sub in cocoa powder for vanilla for a fudge-y kind of frosting.

Don't be afraid to add to any cake or cookie mix. Put your own spin on these. A half cup of sprinkles or raisins, a shot of brandy or red pepper will make these average ingredients your signature mark

Lucky New Year's Foods

New Year's Eve and Day bring about a cornucopia of culinary traditions.All over the world people eat a variety of different dishes, from cookies to fish for luck. Cakes are baked with coins or prizes that may or may not predict their eater's future in 2015.The luckiest foods are the circular ones .They represent continuity and wealth.

The New York Times Food section highlighted this in their last issue of the old year. David Tanis  covered the classic Hopping John in his A City Kitchen column. The bean dish ,made with black eyed peas is both African and Sephardic based. Sephardic Jews ate them for Rosh Hashana centuries ago and they brought the dish to America. Most Americans know them from the South, first brought to Florida from the Caribbean, I usually like them plain with salt and butter but home chefs can follow Mr. Tanis  recipe. This involves ham hocks and collard greens. The last gives extra luck to the dish because of the green color.You can use hamhocks but you can also use bacon or even a meaty ham. The beans should be soaked overnight in cold water to help them cook faster.(although if you're in a hurry just use the canned , presoaked ones).He also recommends added red pepper flakes but just salt and pepper is fine too, although just omit the salt because the ham will add saltiness too.

To end this meal, think a sweet but healthy cake.Recipe For Health , Martha Rose Schulman, brings a Tuesday Science Times sensibility to the Food section. Her recipe is a yummy walnut apricot bundt cake. it is a golden ring , symbolizing prosperity , and eternity.It is also a promise to eat better, being made with whole wheat flour and sweetened with honey.It is moist and dense without the usual bundt cake's heaviness.Orange flower water can also be added but it's not needed. , walnuts, the perfect superfood are another healthful ingredient along with boiled dried apricots.Eggs, buttermilk and butter are also added to give it richness as is baking soda and baking powder. This is a great cake , not to end a New Year's Eve party but one to start the day . It's is a great breakfast, cake, according to Ms, Schulman, especially if it's  cut in thick slices although wafer thin slices can be cut if you have a lot of guests.

Make healthy , and lucky foods to ring in the New Year. Black eyed peas  is the luckiest and the best for you. Follow up with a healthy  bundt cake, full of goodness and promise.

Let's Make Some Bread

Now that the cooler weather is here it's time to get back into baking! There's nothing like a loaf of fresh homemade bread to make any autumn meal special. You could start with a simple loaf for move on to more complicated ones.

A good loaf bread is easy to make and delicious to eat. Quick loaves are the easiest way to go. They're good otasted for breakfast or as a quick dessert with butter or cream cheese. Banana bread is the easiest because you can mak e it in minutes and only takes less than an hour to bake up.You can try the old standard date and nut bread. Another good one is a cranberry bread made with cranberries and walnuts.Simple nut spreads like walnut or almond are always good and a slice of one is a great way to start the day.

This falll get back to baking fun and tasty loaf breads.They're simple to make and fun to enjoy