Wedding Menu... Recipes too!

“Love is in the air, and we're not talking about the mushy, get-each-other-cards kind of love. We're talking about the love for animals.” VegNews Magazine

  This is the same way I felt about having vegan food at my wedding. I felt that a celebration of loving-kindness, compassion, and commitment to each other, shouldn’t just end there, but extend into all aspects of our lives. That is how it played into the details of the food.

  So, in celebration of the ‘Day of LOVE’ -Valentines Day-

Here are some of the tasty recipes from my late summer wedding! And a toast to the animals that we love so much… and that were not harmed in any way during the event.

                    The MENU

       Fingerling Potatoes with (vegan) Aioli

         Stuffed Grape Leaves

               Roasted Eggplant Dip and warmed Pita

             Crostini with Roasted Cauliflower Spread and Wild Mushrooms

                 Crostini with White Bean Hummus and fresh Tomatoes 

         Spiced Nuts

       For DESSERT

             Fresh Figs       

        Mexican Wedding Cookies

        Spanish Crumble Cakes

    As it was an outdoor wedding and reception, I didn’t want a sit down meal, so I opted for a simple menu of finger-food appetizers. This eliminated the need for silverware, place settings, or any other formal dinnerware. The question of Cake came up at one point, and we decided that cookies would be a better option for the style of party we were planning. Then, again, we wouldn’t have the need for forks, and I was able to have a Gluten Free cookie to offer as well. 

Details are very important to me, as I feel they add a touch of personality and in this case, elegance. Though our style is simple, I wanted it to be beautiful, just as the day should be.

  The Heirloom Tomatoes and the micro-greens that garnished the Crostini were from the same local greenhouse that provided the amazing flower bouquets. I hand-picked all the grape leaves from wild vines near our local stream. All the cookies were homemade, as well as everything else. I chose to ship in Fresh Figs, because they are my most favorite fruit, and happened to be in season on the west coast. The Figs were perfectly ripe, and all we did was cut them in half to show their beautiful gooey centers.

   Even the beer and wine was hand crafted locally! All of these details could not have been possible without all the amazing people that helped put my vision together. Thanks goes out to Maija for sharing her delicious recipes for the Fingerling potatoes, Crostini, and Spiced Nutz; to Nancy for the irresistible Spanish Crumble Cakes recipe; to my sister Jess (also author on this blog) for the Mexican Wedding cookies recipe and the beautiful photos; to Bitsy and MaryAnn for helping to roll all the grape leaves; and to my Mom, for testing many of the recipes months in advance to make sure they would be a go!

Here’s to Love, Compassion, and Beautiful Food! Click on the food titles under the MENU for their recipes… Enjoy!

             -Lisa

CHOCOLATE CRAZY CAKE

Just in time for Valentines Day... My favorite chocolate cake & frosting recipe. 
Make this lovely Chocolate cake for those you love. xoxo jessica

CHOCOLATE CRAZY CAKE 

3 cups all-purpose flour 

2 cups sugar 

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

3/4 cup vegetable oil(my favorite combo is 1/4 coconut oil, 1/4 canola oil, 1/4 olive oil)

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 cups cold water

Directions:

Add all dry ingredients together and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until well incorporated, don’t over mix.

Grease a 9x13 pan with coconut oil using wax paper to help distribute oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set timer to check cake after 30 minutes. When your toothpick comes out clean. Set on cooling racks and cool completely before frosting.

PERFECT CHOCOLATE FROSTING

 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan earth balance

 2/3 cup Cocoa powder

 3 cups powdered sugar

 1/3 cup coconut milk 

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

For the Love of CHIA!

Chia seeds are awesome.

no, really.

Here are some facts:

Chia seeds help regulate blood sugar, they clean up the digestive tract, are packed with amino acids(the building blocks of protein), they have a higher antioxidant content than blueberries(antioxidants help fight free radicals in your body aka they keep you healthy!), they are full of omega-3 fatty acids(awesome good fats!), they are loaded with fiber(7 grams in only 25 gram serving, they help lower bad cholesterol levels, and they help to keep you full(new year's diet anyone?) This is the short list. Just Google it and you will find a ton more reasons that you should be eating this glorious little seed!

There are so may ways to eat them. Put them in some juice and they take on a really weird but cool gelatinous texture. The lazy version would be to go get a Mama Chia drink at the health food store(this is how I got hooked, try the cherry lime, delicious.) Toss them on your salad. Put them on top of your morning breakfast of steel cut oats. They are pretty much tasteless but just add a bit of crunch, so if you are worried, um, don't be. :)

Here is my new favorite way to incorporate them. Little balls of energy to get you through the holidays or through you day! Enjoy! Call them what you wish, these are goodies.

Baby Chia Bombs of Energy Balls

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 cup raw chia seeds

1 tsp vanilla

Mix up and roll into balls! Easy peesy! If your balls don't stick together add more nut butter.

Keep in an air tight container in your fridge, or share them and put them in someone else's fridge.

And because I'd never make anything without a picture...here you go!   Jessica