Vegan Gingerbread

It's surprising to admit, but I was never a kid who was overly impressed with getting a gingerbread man during the Holidays or any days for that matter.

Maybe it's that those grocery store offerings were harder than sinking your teeth into a wooden plank? Or maybe it was the bitter, lip staining food colouring used to fill in Ginger-Santa's suit? Even as a kid, artifical wasn't my thing. So upon rediscovering the amazing, wafting aromas at my Grandparent's house when the spicy, ginger crackles were baked, I think I truly regained my love of molasses and the Gingerbread Man.

Packed with freshly grated ginger and that s l o w pouring dark goodness, these cookies are barely sweet, leaving room for plenty of adornment for the Holidays.

VEGAN GINGERBREAD COOKIES

1/2 cup Coconut Oil, room temperature
1/2 Cup Fancy Molasses
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 teaspoons Freshly Grated Ginger, include any juice
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
pinch, Freshly Grated Nutmeg
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Cream the coconut oil and sugar until fluffy.
While this goes, and you'll need the time, use spray oil to coat the inside of your 1/2 cup measure.
Pour in your molasses, and don't forget that s l o w  saying... it does take it's time.
Add molasses into the fluffed sugar, along with the vanilla.
Using a spoon, peel your ginger, then grate with a microplane into a bowl to catch any extra juice.
Add grated ginger along with its juice, discarding any really stringy bits, until evenly blended.
Follow by adding the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Next, add the soda right to the dough and, on the lowest setting, follow with the flour, a half cup at a time.
Mixing just until dough comes together.
Shape dough into 2 discs and chill for at least 2 hours before rolling.
Preheat oven to 375 °F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disc to just over 1/8-inch thick.
Cut your dough out into desired shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until edges are firm to touch but centers are still soft.
Allow to cool completely before decorating.

For the icing, I've used this or I found that about 2 Cups of Icing Sugar (check your source), 1/4 Cup Corn Starch or Soy Flour, a drop of vanilla and a dribble of water mixed to a thick ribbon, will pipe really well.

Latke Love

I love latkes. It's almost bad, how much I like latkes. A holiday tradition usually brings sharing and that might be my biggest problem. To date the best solution I've had is to make them smaller so I have more. That way it takes me a little longer to eat them and gives others a chance to snag one.

Usually served on their own with a choice of apple sauce or sour cream on the side, I wanted to offer something with them to dress them up, especially when served as an appetizer. Slathered on a plate, I like the sour cream option, but there's something about the salty grease that goes so well with a little tartness.

For platter passing, otherwise known as sharing, I conjured up my own applish sauce, just a little fancier for the Hoildays. I added the jewel-y glimmer of pomegranate to quince to make this tart and spicy relish.

It was pretty good. I ate the whole plate.
... But after I was done, I thought I might just make another batch, maybe even double it - to share. Plus, the relish in a little jar tied with a red bow, might just make a pretty sweet hostess gift.

EGGLESS POTATO LATKES

4 - 5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, 2 -2 1/2 Cups grated
1 Small Onion, grated
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Arrowroot Powder
3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2/3 Cup Oil for Frying (more or less)

Peel and grate the potatoes. Grate the onion and and squeeze as much moisture from them as you can. (You can either do this with your hands, or put the whole thing into a clean tea towel and wring it out... you don't want wet latkes!)
Add them to a large bowl and sift in the baking powder, arrowroot and flour and salt over the potatoes, stirring while you add to incorporate it evenly.
Heat half of the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium-high setting.
Either with your clean hands or spoons, shape the potato into a 2" diameter ball, again squeezing excessive liquid, if necessary. Lightly pat the finished ball to flatten once it's added to the heated oil.
Repeat to fill the pan and fry for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden.
Drain latkes of oil over brown bags and paper towels.

Serve with Pomegranate Quince Chutney, apple sauce, or "sour cream".

POMEGRANATE QUINCE CHUTNEY

1 Quince, peeled and roughly diced
1/2 Cup water (give or take)
1/8 teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
pinch Cinnamon
2 Cloves
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Orange Balsamic Vinegar*
1/4 Cup Pomegranate Seeds, 1/2 Pomegranate

Peel and dice the quince into 1/2" cubes.
Add the quince to a small saucepan and cover with just enough water to submerge.
Simmer over a medium-high heat until just tender; about 8 - 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Add the quince, along with the remaining water, to a sauté pan.
Continuing over a medium-high heat, sauté the quince, adding the cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Once the liquid has reduced, add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.
Lower the heat to medium and simmer to create a syrup; 1-2 minutes.
Add the pomegranate seeds and continue to simmer to release the juice.
Remove the chutney from the heat, find and take out the cloves, then gently mash with a fork. (Watch for pomegranate juice, it stains.)
Serve a top latkes or other savory dishes as a condiment.

*If you don't have orange balsamic vinegar, you may try substituting regular balsamic with the zest of one orange; about a teaspoon.