Veganize Me: Peanutty vegan classic

[Guest guest]

April 30, 2009 by Anisa Buttar

 

I love being vegan. The look of utter disbelief after I tell people I don't eat

or use any animal products whatsoever makes me smile. " It's actually much easier

than you think, " I usually respond.

 

 

I became obsessed with vegan baking soon after I converted. I thought feeding

people vegan delicacies like luscious cupcakes, cookies and home made vegan

twinkies would be a good way to bring positive attention to the lifestyle. I

haven't had any complaints yet.

 

Vegans are animal rights activists. We protest factory farming and the dairy

industry every time we eat. We avoid leather, silk and any other clothing or

accessories that are made from animals. Our soap, hair products, toothpaste and

makeup are not tested on animals and do not contain animal by-products. It may

take a little more effort, but it's worth it.

 

Although I am a strict vegan, I feel most connected to animals through my cats,

Baby and Cleo. I adopted Baby from my wonderful journalism professor Mary Hausch

last spring. A friend of mine found Cleo the night it snowed during winter

break.

 

They have distinct personalities. Baby is a diva. She has velvety black fur and

her expressive green eyes are the only part of her that's not black. She's

beautiful and she knows it.

 

Cleo is our little babe. She is multi-colored and has tiger stripes all over her

body. Her underside is white and she has snowshoes. She just wants to be loved

and give love. She acts more like a dog than a cat. Pettings and purring never

cease for her.

 

Animals have the right to a good life. I will be hosting a vegan bake sale on

Wednesday. All proceeds will go to the Nevada Society for the Prevention of

Cruelty to Animals.

 

This is my last column in The Rebel Yell. I want to thank the editorial board

for always supporting me, but especially for being my team of taste testers.

Thank you for everything. I love being vegan, I can't imagine living any other

way.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance)

 

1 cup peanut butter

 

1 cup vegan sugar

 

1 cup packed brown sugar

 

2 eggs' worth of egg replacer

 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

 

1 teaspoon baking powder

 

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

 

 

 

Method:

 

Have two large bowls ready, one for wet ingredients and one for dry ingredients.

Let the butter sit on the counter for about 10 minutes so it reaches room

temperature.

 

Beat the butter briefly, just so it's barely whipped. Add the peanut butter,

sugars and egg replacer and cream the ingredients together.

 

 

 

Scrape the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is mixed in well.

 

Sift the dry ingredients into the other bowl. Add half of the dry bowl mixture

to the wet and mix well. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and incorporate

the rest.

 

Let the dough sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

 

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap a cutting

board in plastic wrap if you do not have a rolling surface.

 

Dust the board and rolling pin with flour. Use clean hands to squish two

handfuls of dough. Using the heat from your hands will gently bring the

refrigerated dough to a higher temperature. Roll the dough out. Have a small

plate with flour on it handy. Put the cookie cutter in the flour every time you

punch out a cookie. It will prevent the dough from sticking to it.

 

Bake for about nine minutes and keep an eye on them since they cook quickly.