Vegan Junior Mints

Back before I was vegan, I LOVED Junior Mints. Especially at the movie theater. These days, I won't eat them because they contain gelatin. My last trip to the grocery store prompted me to pick up some Peppermint Oil, and I set out to create a vegan Junior Mint from scratch... without a recipe.

Despite my recent blog posts, I am not a natural cook. I often burn things on the stove, so much so my husband has made a rule that I need to set a timer any time I cook anything. Needless to say, making up a recipe is a big deal for me.

But no fear, all you need for this recipe is a microwave, freezer, a cookie sheet, parchment paper or slipmat, and 2 plastic bags for piping... oh, and the ingredients:

3 T Organic Powdered Sugar

1 T Rice milk

3 t Organic Corn Starch (very important to avoid GMO corn)

4 or 5 drops Peppermint Oil

1/2 bag Chocolate Chips (dairy-free)

Prep the cookie sheet by placing a parchment paper sheet on it, and stick it in the freezer while you do the next step.

Microwave the chocolate chips in a glass bowl, stirring every 20-30 seconds. It shouldn't take more than 45 seconds, so keep your eye on it.

Spoon the melted chocolate into the piping bag, seal it, and cut off the tip. Retrieve your prepped cookie sheet and pipe the chocolate onto the parchment paper in small, flat dollops. 

Stick the cookie sheet back in the freezer while you prep the peppermint filling. Whisk together the sugar, rice milk, corn starch and peppermint oil. Test it, and make sure it's minty enough for you. If not, add more! Also, if the mixture seems very runny, add more corn starch. Transfer the mixture into the other plastic bag and seal. Check to make sure your chocolate has hardened up in the freezer... if so, you're ready for the next step.

Pipe on the peppermint mixture to the chocolate dollops. If the chocolate starts to get soft and melty, just return the cookie sheet back to the freezer for a few minutes and continue. Once each dollop has been covered, return the cookie sheet back to the freezer while you prep the next chocolate layer.

Melt the rest of the chocolate chips, and transfer to the bag. Check to make sure the peppermint filling and chocolate is hard, and pipe on the final layer. Return to the freezer as long as you can stand it. Once they are very firm, you can transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the freezer. They hold up well in the fridge, but I really love when minty treats are cold. Up to you.

These didn't last long....

I slowed down just long enough to take a picture of the creamy center. YUM!

Recipes via Pinterest

The weekend is for trying out Pinterest pins, I think. All week, I sit in my little cubicle... just waiting until the weekend when I actually have time to try that low-fat coconut whipped cream recipe. 

This weekend I made a Hummus made from cauliflower, Beetballs (yes, they are what they sound like) and for dessert, a gluten-free and vegan version of these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles.

All three were great, especially if you are vegan or gluten-free.... and even if you are not.

What recipes did you try that you would recommend? 

Juicing? Make your own veggie broth

My husband and I get a CSA box of organic, local fruits and veggies once a week. At the end of the week, I juice the veggies we haven't eaten yet, that are starting to turn. Anyone who juices knows that there is a lot of "by-product" that you normally just throw away, or if you are lucky... compost. Sadly, we live in an apartment, but I figured I should be using that veggie pulp for something. Perhaps to make my own fresh, organic veggie broth for the plethora of soups and stews I make. (Quick side note: one of the only broth's I can have that does not contain sunflower oil or tomatoes is from Whole Foods. I find myself making a special trip there and buying 6 at a time. Not very convenient!)
Anyway... the last 4 times I have juiced, I stashed away my veggie pulp from my juicer in the freezer, as well as any other vegetable trimmings that don't make it into the main dish. (Note: if you are adding veggies to your juices, just juice the veggies first, remove the pulp then juice the fruits.) Here is my process once you collect a good amount of veggie pulp-


A variety of veggie pulp from a juicer, as well as veggie scraps, filling 1/4 of the pot (ideally with onion but if not, throw a few cloves of garlic in)
Water
Salt
A Gallon Pot
A strainer or sieve
Another large pot
Containers to put your fresh broth into (once cooled)
A slotted spoon


-In a Gallon pot, add the veggie pulp and trimmings (you don't need to defrost) plus 1 1/2 Tablespoons of salt (you can always add more later). Fill the pot to nearly the top, allowing for boiling room. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce to a high simmer, leaving uncovered.

-While stirring occasionally, let the veggies and water simmer for about 2 hours , or until the veggies look sad and devoid of all color and the broth starts to turn a "broth color". 

-With a slotted spoon, remove the majority of vegetable pulp and *GASP* throw it away.  Strain broth into the other pot through a fine strainer or sieve, and get your containers ready.

- Let the broth cool (especially if you are using plastic containers) and transfer it into your containers. Refrigerate or freeze, and use when needed.

Hope this can help the wallet, as well as your own guilt for throwing out juicing pulp.

And just a reminder, for the month of May, 10% of my sale profits will be going to the animal charities The Gentle Barn and NKLA. Shop my Etsy, Zibbet, or Facebook stores!

NKLA and The Gentle Barn

I wanted to take a quick moment to talk about two organizations that are close to my heart. For the month of May, 10% of my sale profits will go to NKLA and The Gentle Barn. So shop for Coley items on Etsy, Zibbet or Facebook knowing that you are helping animals in need.

NKLA - No Kill LA is part of the Best Friends Animal Society, and is committed to making Los Angeles a No Kill city. 17,000 adoptable animals were put to sleep last year just in LA. They are working toward making that number ZERO! 


You can get involved by donating, spreading the word... but mostly by adopting or fostering a shelter animal. And never, ever buy from a pet store or breeder. 

The Gentle Barn- A few weeks ago, a raid was made on a "backyard butcher" (yes, it's exactly what it sounds like). Over 50 animals were removed from horrible conditions. The Gentle Barn took many of these animals in, and it will take a lot of time and vet expenses to get these animals healthy again. You can donate at their website, the Paypal button makes it very easy.

You can follow the animal's progress on The Gentle Barn's Blog or their Facebook. I have visited the Gentle Barn twice now, and I can't wait to go back. If you are in the LA area, I highly recommend stopping by on Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. A $10 donation is requested. 

I promise I will get back to the craft-related posts soon :) In the meantime, if you have a favorite animal organization, I'd love to hear about it!