Chai Tea Concentrate

I've been a chai tea lover for years and I've tried all the store bought concentrates which tend to be pricey and filled with sugar, not to mention they often lack the real spicy flavor I'm craving in a good chai. Despite being obsessed with hot drinks all year round the hot New England Summer has left me wanting something cool. I looked at a bunch of recipes for chai concentrate before concocting my own version which leaves out the controversial star anise. Let's face it, anise is a love it or hate it flavor and my hubby hates it so I left it out of this recipe.  If you love it, skip to the bottom for *suggestions. This recipe makes about 6 cups (or 3 pint sized mason jars full) and can easily be halved, but why bother when it keeps in the fridge for several weeks or makes a great hostess gift for a summer soiree! 

Ingredients

10 cups water

2 inches fresh ginger peeled

8 cinnamon sticks

16 tsp loose black tea

16 whole cloves

10 cardamom pods

24 black peppercorns

30 allspice berries

3/4 - 1 cup coconut sugar

muslin bag OR cheesecloth and cotton cord OR strainer

Put the 10 cups of water into a large pot and boil while you prep the ingredients for steeping the tea. I used a piece of cheesecloth folded over several times into a 8"x8" square to make a large teabag for this recipe but you could just add everything to the water and strain it with fine mesh when you're done. 

Crack the peppercorns, allspice, cardamom and cloves with the back of a heavy knife and add them to the cheesecloth.  Slice the vanillla bean lengthwise and use a knife tip to scrape out the seeds adding them to the cheesecloth. Add the loose tea to the cheesecloth and lift up the corners and twist to make a large tea bag, secure the sachet with cotton cording.  Peel and rough chop the ginger and set it aside.

Once your water comes to a boil add the loose ginger, cinnamon sticks and the sachet with all other ingredients into the water and turn heat down to simmer uncovered for 20 min or until the liquid is reduced by 2 cups. Remove the sachet if using one and add your coconut sugar to taste, I used approx 3/4 cup. Stir to dissolve. Strain the remaining liquid and jar when cooled.

To use your concentrate:

I use 1/3 concentrate to 2/3 almond milk. It depends on how spicy you want your mixture. You could also do a 50/50 ratio.

Suggestions:

• This is great cold OR hot!
• For a decaf version, use Rooibos loose tea instead of black
• Add a cinnamon stick to a hot version for a bit more spice
• Try it with coconut milk or soy milk!
• Add in 1 or 2 Star Anise (no need to crack these just toss them in)
• Add in 1-2 tsp cacao nibs for a chocolate chai!
• Make your own version of dirty chai with 1/3 coffee, 1/3 chai, 1/3 milk of choice
• Add seeds from a second vanilla bean for smoother/sweeter tones
•  

Corn Salsa

Looking for the perfect dish to bring to a summer picnic, pot luck or backyard BBQ?  This is IT!  It's quick, easy, delicious and will be a hit with vegans and omnivores alike! Scoop it up with corn chips or enjoy it like a salad or side! It's great leftover on top of rice too!

Ingredients

It is easiest to make the dressing first and let it cool while you do the rest of the recipe.

For dressing, bring to a boil:

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 Tbls. water

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute

Cool before pouring over beans/corn/veggie mixture below.

Combine in large bowl:

1 can black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 small orange or red pepper chopped

1 cans of corn, drained

1 small red onion chopped

1 small green pepper chopped

1-2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)

1 jalepeno pepper chopped (optional)

Vegan Bagels

As I've gotten older I've come to understand the saying " the weeks go by slowly and the years go by quickly." (at least it goes something like that) When I think of the scope of what I try to accomplish in a week it is often times daunting but when I look back at a year and what has already been done, I'm sometimes quite amazed. I try not to get wrapped up in making New Year's Resolutions because I'm already a recovering list maker and I don't need any more self-pressuring as a self proclaimed type A. Isn't it enough that it's a NEW year? Can't we just enjoy the 'shine' of the 'new' for a while?  I read this quote on Instagram a few days ago:

You weren't born to just pay bills and die.

I think we've all felt this at one time or another. Despite living a life I always dreamed of, doing what I love everyday, it's still easy to get wrapped up in the cycle of things sometimes. Just remembering to BE present, to breathe, to smile and to laugh can make some of the not so fun, mundane chores more bearable. The Love of My Life, Matthew Dean, is a constant reminder for me of all the sweetness that life has to offer and he has been a spotlight on the present and a beacon for the future with endless smiles, laughter and love. Just when I thought life couldn't get any sweeter with him as a partner, he surprised me on Christmas morning by asking me to marry him. It was an overwhelming moment and weeks later I'm still walking on clouds.

So, just like that, my perspective on what 2016 would bring, shifted as I enter a new cycle in my personal life. Happiness breeds inspiration for me, and I'm anxious to spend as much time working in my studio as possible with a flood of new ideas and excitement to continue to create and sell handmade functional pottery. My food obsession has not waned and while I've shifted to a 90% gluten free diet in the past year or so, my love of bread is still in there and lately it's been fun making bagels!  So I've shared the bagel recipe below and I hope you'll let me know if you make them, or let me know any other recipes you'd like to see and I'll share in future posts. I can feel winter soup is where I'll be concentrating for a while.........so stay tuned.

Vegan Bagels

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (or one packet)

1 2/3 cups warm water

4 1/2 cups bread flour (I use Bob's Redmill Artisan Bread Flour)

1 Tbl sugar

1 Tbl barley malt syrup

2 teaspoons salt

approx 3 quarts water with 2 Tbl sugar added to it in a large pot for boiling

Toppings of choice: I used dried minced garlic and garlic powder, and a raw sugar and vietnamese cinnamon, but you can use any seeds etc as you like.

Instructions

Start by mixing the yeast and water and set aside.

In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, barley malt syrup and salt and add in your yeast mixture, mix well with a spoon until a dough forms and then if the bowl is large enough knead it for up to 15min until the dough comes together in a smooth stretchy ball or turn it out onto a lightly floured board for kneading. Set dough aside and cover to rest for up to 45 min.

Preheat your oven to 425 and get the sugar water mixture to a boil then simmer. Knead dough one last time for approx 2min and then cut into approx 12 pieces. Use your hands to gently shape into round balls, use your thumb to press a hole through the center of each ball and set it carefully into the hot water for 30 seconds, flip them over and remove after another 30 seconds. Place boiled bagels on a rack to drip dry and sprinkle with toppings of choice.

Once your bagels have been boiled and topped, place them on a nonstick baking pan and bake for 15min or until golden brown. Remove and cool before serving.

and then......try not to eat them all at once!

Candied Pecans

My craft not only connects me to the Earth, but also to my community. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing my pots in use in their forever homes. It's also a bonus to know that my own obsession with clay serves a functional purpose in the everyday lives of my customers.  I had several customers today and I was smiling ear to ear as they shared their thoughts about the pottery. One happy customer took home two tumblers and posted them in a photo to Facebook with the comment:

"Happiness is new coffee mugs!"

Another shopper took her time looking around the Gift Shop and picked out several tiny bowls and vases one of which she admitted to feeling compelled to carry around as she browsed because the shape felt so sweet to hold and the light blue glaze was her favorite. She also bought a lamp and proclaimed something to the effect of:

" I'm so happy to find this lamp in my favorite color. I'm going to put it on my bed side table and I'll love having it as part of my bedroom decor."

I've had the pleasure of exchanging a few clay cups with other potters via Instagram recently and they have posted photos of the tumblers I sent with the comments:

"A handmade tumbler. Good way to start a Thursday! Thanks Lyndsay, your work is gorgeous"

"Got a great trade from @TheVeganPotter this week! Love this tumbler!"

I was recently speaking to some friends who bought coffee mugs from me who were commenting on how special it is to drink out of a handmade cup every morning, how their coffee tasted better and how much they were enjoying the objects in their home. I take such pride in knowing that my work is out in the world being used and loved.

I'm so grateful for my loyal customers who share my love of handmade objects and who have supported my journey for nearly two decades. One of the most fun parts of being a potter is giving pots as gifts but what's even better is gifting handmade pottery filled with homemade food! So here's a quick and easy treat you can use to fill up a bowl, a mug or a canister to bring as a gift when you attend a holiday party this year.

If you've purchased pottery from me I'd love to hear what you bought and how you've put it to use in your home. Tag @TheVeganPotter and post a pic on Instagram .Thanks for supporting my obsession and providing forever homes for my work.

Lyndsay's Vegan Candied Pecans

Ingredients

1 Cup Pecan halves

1/4 cup genuine maple syrup

1/2 tsp Vietnamese Cinnamon

in a small frying pan or non stick sauce pan heat the pecans and maple syrup over medium heat. Sprinkle cinnamon and stir with a wooden spoon until the syrup begins to evaporate. Turn the burner down to low and continue to stir the pecans until all of the moisture has been absorbed. They will begin to stick together before they dry out and seperate. Be patient and continue stirring. Once the pecans appear mostly dry turn heat off and pour them onto a plate in a single layer so they can cool. Transfer to your container (if you haven't already eaten them all) and serve!

* This recipe works with most any nut, walnuts, raw cashews, peanuts and more. Feel free to add other spices like cloves or nutmeg as well.

Decadent Vegan Hot Chocolate

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 Tablespoons Cacao Powder

1 tablespoon Raw Cane Sugar or 2 TBL maple syrup

Dash vietnamese cinnamon

Dash almond extract

Pour the almond milk into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat stirring with a whisk. Mix cacao powder with a tablespoon of water until a liquid and then add to the warm almond milk. Stir. Add cinnamon and extract and continue to whisk over low heat until heated through. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy! I like to adorn mine with almond milk foam and cinnamon or vegan marshmallows for an added treat!