Spreading the Word about Sustainable Seafood #sustainableseafood @seafoodwatch

So honored and thrilled to be spreading the word about ‪#‎sustainableseafood‬ and supporting the Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s Seafood Watch program.

This year, I will be traveling around the country popping up on local TV shows to share recipes and sustainable seafood tips and meeting wonderful people (Seafood Watch Partners) who support sustainable seafood in their cities. Next week –  our first trip to Cleveland, Ohio where I will appear on Live on Lakeside on Wednesday morning… More fun adventures to follow which I will continue to share!

Download the Seafood Watch App – it makes finding sustainable seafood so EASY and FUN!

Vegan Vanilla Marshmallow Fluff – Enter Aquafaba

This recipe is pretty darn amazing! Not just because it gives a vegan alternative to marshmallow fluff (something usually made with gelatin), but because it uses the liquid found in a can of chickpeas (which, let’s be honest, is commonly tossed out). This liquid is called aquafaba and it’s like magic. Whip it up and it will form stiff peaks like a meringue. The aquafaba has properties akin to egg whites and the taste is so similar, you probably won’t even notice the difference. That makes this the perfect Drought Friendly Recipe. And when you pair the fluff with the Drought Friendly Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies and a slathering of some more peanut butter, you have a fluffernutter cookie sandwich that is knock ’em out of the park delicious. So, next time you open a can of chickpeas or other white beans (yes, you can use other canned bean brine!) reserve that liquid and whip up something deliciously cool.

Whipped Aquafaba Fluff

Looks just like the “real” thing!

Fluffernutter cookie sandwich, anyone?

Overhead shot of deliciousness

Get crazy and torch that marshmallow for a fluffernutter s’mores cookie sandwich – WHAT?!

This is taking your cookie sandwich to the next level…

 

Vegan Vanilla Marshmallow Fluff

Yield: 5 cups

 

½ cup garbanzo bean brine (the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans)

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup organic powdered sugar

¼ cup water

¼ cup organic corn syrup

½ cup organic granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Add the brine to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle over the xanthan gum and using a hand whisk, whisk vigorously until fully combined. Add the salt and powdered sugar and whisk vigorously until fully combined. Using the whisk attachment, turn the mixer to medium-high and let whisk until it looks like whipped meringue, white in color and holds a medium peak. Turn off the mixer.

In a small saucepan add the water, corn syrup, then the sugar. Place over medium heat and cook until an instant thermometer reads 240 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turn the stand mixer to medium speed and very slowly stream (the slower the better!) in the hot syrup aiming for the space between the whisk and the inside of the mixer bowl.

Add the vanilla extract, a few drops at a time, aiming for the space between the whisk and the inside of the mixer bowl.

Turn the mixer to high and mix for an additional minute.

Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies – Drought Friendly – aka vegan

In the mood for something a little sweet and chocolatey? But healthy, right?!, because chocolate is an antioxidant and peanut butter is full of protein… right… YES! Try these Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies. Another recipe from our continuing Drought Friendly Recipe project.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies

Yield: 14 cookies

 

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal (ground flax seed)

5 tablespoons water

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a small bowl, mix to combine the flax seed and water. Stir and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix to combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

Mix the peanut butter with the brown sugar on low speed in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment for approximately 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla and flax/water mixture. Mix to combine. Add flour/cocoa mixture and mix until just combined, approximately 1 minute. The texture should be like play-doh. (Do not over mix.)

Using your hands, form cookies into 1½-inch sized balls and place, evenly spaced, on a parchment lined sheet pan. Place no more than 9 per sheet tray.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven. Using the back of a flat spatula, gently press cookies down to form a disc shape.

Let cool completely on sheet pan so cookies firm up before eating.

Easiest Scrambled Eggs

Super Sous started making her eggs this way because, in her words, she says, “I’m lazy!” Why pre-scramble your eggs (read: another dish to wash) when you can just do it all in the pan.

Watch and try it out next time you’re in the mood for perfectly scrambled eggs! P.S. Don’t forget to use a nonstick pan.

Bobby and Nathan Eat At Chego

This past weekend, I took my pal Bobby Bognar (host of the History Channel’s Food Tech & owner of The Point in Culver City) to one of Super Sous and my favorite dining spots in Los Angeles, Chego. Here’s a glimpse of our outing!