Entry 22: Double Feature - Personal Favorites + Foods of Thedas: The Nug King Holiday Platter

Only Orlais would come up with this.

In Orlais, what is fashionable is everywhere, even on your holiday dinner plate. Nothing proves this cultural trend more than the fine dish featured in the World of Thedas Volume 2: the Nug-Nug. According to the Culinary Treasures of Thedas, the Nug-Nug appeared after the fad of pet nugs took hold of Val Royeaux and beyond. The fad can apparently be traced to Lady Nightingale.

From The World of Thedas, Volume 2:

"Some credit the Left Hand of the Divine for starting the Orlesian obsession with nugs as pets. In her travels, Sister Leliana came across a nug, which she adopted and brought home to Val Royeaux. The fad quickly caught on. I've been told that this strange little creature - hairless, wrinkled, and pink, with its beady eyes and oversized ears - makes a wonderful companion animal. Children especially adore them. And they adore the nug-nug, a dish put together to resemble a nug peaking its head out of a burrow. I prefer beef, but use any meat that you have on hand, even actual nug meat, if you must. After all, as the dwarves will tell you, they are edible and very delicious. Just make sure you haven't inadvertently hunted and killed some poor lady's pet."

Thankfully for Leliana's adorable, squeaking friends, we will not be featuring flesh of any kind. And we will be bringing the display up to a new level that can only shame Orlais' efforts in the realm of food art.

Today we are going to enjoy The Nug King!

Veganized! Because like your furry friends who visit your lap and love that you feed them, you couldn't eat them, so how could you eat a nug? ... Or any animal for that matter... ...

It's not an exact resemblance but just as majestic. 

This beautiful plant-based platter was presented to my family with glowing pride at our Thanksgiving holiday this last month. It was greeted with squeals and awes before it was devoured enthusiastically along side other classic and nontraditional holiday side dishes and desserts. Truly, it was a feast that spawned tales to be told into the next Age!

For those iconic and amazing ears I used one of the true "meats" of nature: beans! When cooked thoroughly and mixed with the right  ingredients, beans can create the flavor and simulate the texture of animal flesh but without any of the carnage. They truly are a gift from the Maker.

This Nug King recipe is inspired by the Nug-Nug but those ears are more closely based off a vegan sausage recipe I found by chance while sifting through Pinterest. The link to that full recipe by Taste with Your Eyes can be found in the sources section below.

Normally I take time to show you a step-by-step process but this was such a long and involved ordeal, I decided to take a different approach. I chose to feature some of my best images and write detailed directions. There is also a lot to catch up on, like the recent Dragon 4ge Day events and some plans for this little ol' Skyhold kitchen mage. If you want the recipe right way, scroll down.

This season, I had the pleasure of helping the wildly successful Unofficial Dragon Age Day - or Dragon 4ge Day - streaming and fundraising events for Child' Play. I had an immensely nerve-wracking good time helping a great team of enthusiastic fans collaborate over the details and facilitate feels for miles. If you were on Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitch, or YouTube on December 4, or on any of those platforms in the days leading up to the momentous day, you probably heard some of the buzz. The organizers are a wonderful group of people and if you are interested in supporting them, you can find their links in the sources section below.

I was honored to participate in Ghil Dirthalen's all-day Dragon 2 stream, hosting my first live event and mukbang. I and the food I made (my take on World of Thedas' Llomerry Red), were well received. So much so, I have decided to give live mukbangs a try on my own in the coming New Year.

For folks who are unaware of what a mukbang is, allow me to explain (because I needed it explained to me at first, too). According to Wikipedia, a mukbang "is a live online audiovisual broadcast in which a host eats large amounts of foods while interacting with their audience." What the word itself means, again from Wikipedia, "[t]he word mukbang is a portmanteau of the Korean words for "eating" (먹는; meokneun) and "broadcast" (방송; bangsong)."

On January 2 at noon PT (Pacific Time), I will host my first live eating show on YouTube. I'll eat a big meal and talk about Dragon Age. And by all the breath of the Maker, do I have a lot to say about Dragon Age. Much of what I want to orate about is the intersectionality between a myriad real life and in game topics, some mundane and some more exciting and contentious. I have a few starting topics I am writing talking points for so without anything firmly planned, I can't say what topic I will begin with. I also won't say what I'll be eating just yet but I will give you a hint: it will be slightly tortuous and nothing like the amazing and elegant Nug King I constructed this holiday season. If the show goes well, I may make it a routine thing as a companion media piece to this blog.

I am taking this on in between a lot of personal development. If you follow me on Instagram, you may know I was hospitalized at the end of September. At the end of October, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disorder that effects the immune system. There are a number of treatments available, but no cure. The last few months have been life-changing and challenging. I have learned a lot about myself through the early stages of this journey; I have a greater sense now of what I want to do and who I want to be than before. (And if you follow my personal account on Twitter, you may have noticed I have been a bit salty lately as a result of this learning process.) Today I took my first dose of medicine, an injection with some very unpleasant side effects. But it is what it is. I can't let setbacks set me back. I have found a lot of pride and joy in the routine of my new life and a renewed sense of purpose through a deep, new appreciation for life and the things in it that enrich my mind and spirit, from my family, to my career, to Dragon Age. A little pain isn't going to get me down.

When I was in the hospital, unable to lift or move my arm and leg, I thought of my Inquisitor and the challenges she faced after losing her arm. I thought of my Warden after the Joining and the side effects she had to learn to endure. And I decided acceptance, moving forward with my new circumstances instead of fighting against them, was the only way to live. I have the courage of my Warden, the resolve of my Inquisitor, and the humor of my Hawke to learn to live my new life. This blog, the Dragon Age games, and the great community I have come to know have helped keep me going and I am excited to continue to move ever forward.

This year overall has been tremendously eventful with a great amount of ups and downs. And my unique blog is something I am grateful for amidst of the carefully ordered chaos that is my life. It has been a great source of motivation and creativity for me. And I am grateful for you, dear reader. Whether you discovered this blog today or have been reading since my first entry, whether you're here for the recipes or the party banter about Dragon Age, I am grateful for you. And I am excited to offer you more in the coming year.

Now, let us continue to the recipe to carefully turn this...

In this THIS!

Beware, dear reader: this is an advanced recipe. It took all my kitchen wits and mana reserves to make this illustrious edible creature. And it takes some equipment, including a hand or stand blender, a steamer, skewers, and the patience and grace of Andraste.


The Nug King

Prep Time: A day and a half.
Cook Time: approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, spread out over a day and a half.
Serving Size: 7-8

Ingredients:

Vegan Sausages:
1 mounding c. dry white beans or 1 can of cooked white beans
1 c. vegetable stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp vegetable or canola
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/4 c. vital wheat gluten
1 Tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp mesquite
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp sea salt

Nug Body:
4 beefsteak tomatoes
4 celery leaves of two different sizes
1 black olive, sliced
2 c. brown rice

Equipment:

Streamer
Hand blender or stand blender
Aluminum foil
3 wooden skewers
1 box of toothpicks
1 large platter

Directions:

Start by setting up a steamer that can fit 7 to 8 sausages. Then cut 7 to 8 squares of aluminum foil, each 7 inches in diameter.

If using dry white beans, prepare in a pressure cooker or if using canned beans, drain and rinse thoroughly. Add beans to a large bowl and blend with a hand blender or add to a standing blender and blend, then return to bowl. Add vegetable stock, olive oil, nutritional yeast, minced garlic, and soy sauce to beans and mix well.

Next, add ground mustard, mesquite, dried oregano, dried parsley, and sea salt; mix well and then fold into bean mixture until evenly distributed.

Add the vital wheat gluten last and knead by hand until the mixture forms into a dough. Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and gently knead by hand on a clean surface for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Gently pull apart a piece, about a handful or slight more, and roll it into a sausage-like shape. Place on a square of aluminum foil diagonally. Fold the corners of the foil over ends of the wheat-bean sausage dough and wrap very tightly. Repeat until all prepared foil squares are filled.

Placed wrapped wheat-bean sausages in the steamer for 40 minutes, turning them over at half time. Remove from steamer promptly and place on counter. Allow to cool to room temperature, then place in refrigerator overnight. Cook rice according to packaging and allow to cool slightly before storing in refrigerator overnight.

Remove sausages from refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature. Turn oven to warm and heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable or canola in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Skip the oil if you are using a nonstick pan and have faith in its abilities. Unroll the sausages from the foil and place in skillet, browning the outside. Brown one ot two at a time in skillet. Turn gently and frequently for even texture and to cook thoroughly, about 6 to 10 minutes for each sausage.

Once all sausages are evenly browned and heated through, add as many as you can fit into the skillet and place in a warm oven. If your sausages cannot fit, have a second over-safe dish prepared in your warmed oven to hold the remaining sausages.

Reheat rice in a microwave. To keep it from drying out, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to it before reheating. While rice is reheating, blanch the tomatoes.

To blanch tomatoes, rinse them gently and remove any stickers. Fill a large bowl with cold water, set aside. Fill a large, heavy bottomed pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, use a pair of tongs to gently place all four tomatoes into the pot. Allow them to boil for 3 to 4 minutes, remove promptly. (And this is the part where I messed up, so you can do what I did and your tomatoes may turn out just fine or you can keep reading for the proper blanching technique - I forgot about the cold water step and placed my tomatoes on a cutting board for about 5 minutes. I was able to peel them easily and they held up when I used them to sculpt the nug body.) Place immediately in the cold water, one at a time, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Use tongs to remove tomatoes from the cold water promptly and set on a clean surface. Once all tomatoes have cooled, peel the skins and discard.

Spoon reheated rice out onto a large platter. Then cut one of the blanched tomatoes in half (use a serrated or bread knife if you have one). Set aside.

Remove the sausages from the oven and place on a large platter. Take one of the sausages and, using the dull end, push a skewer almost through it, leave about an inch of space. Repeat with one more sausage. Set aside.

Take the third skewer and break it in half. Place two of the blanched tomatoes closely together on the bed of rice. Push one of the skewer halves through both tomatoes to hold them in place, this is the Nug's body. Take the remaining whole blanched tomato and place in on top of one of one of the tomatoes, this is the Nug's head. Push the remaining skewer half down through both. If your top tomato is not firmly secure, add toothpicks to reinforce it in place. Take one of the tomato halves and place it on the front side of the tomato on top, secure it firmly with as many toothpicks as you need, this is the Nug's snout.

Take the sausages on skewers and insert them through the top of the top tomato at a slight angle away from each other.

Slice the olive and, using toothpicks, add two slices to the Nug's head as its eyes. Add the celery leaves, two small leaves in front and two larger leaves in the back for feet.

Smile and breathe a sigh of relief fore you have just found the Nug King. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Serve remaining sausages on a platter or however you like. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not freeze. You can enjoy them sliced or place in a bun with your favorite condiments. Any reaming rice will last about a week. And leftover blanched tomatoes should be enjoyed within two days.

From my Skyhold to yours, have a happy holiday season and a happy New Year! May your feasts be plentiful and your mana reserves full.

Like what you are reading? Great! Come back for a new entry on the third Thursday of each month. And have a look at my previous entries for other recipes and Dragon Age-related trivia and oddities!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Want me to veganize your favorite recipe? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at @FoodsofThedas on Twitter. You can also follow me on Instagram, @gourmetveganthedas. And subscribe to my YouTube channel for my new live mukbang series.

If you try out any of my recipes, please share a picture on social media and use the hashtag (#)gourmetveganthedas.


Walk always in the Maker's light.

_

Sources:

World of Thedas Volume 2: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Age-World-Thedas-2/dp/1616555017

Taste with Your Eyes: https://www.tastewiththeeyes.com/
Taste with Your Eyes, The Vegan Gut Buster: https://www.tastewiththeeyes.com/2013/01/the-vegan-gutbuster/

Dragon 4ge Day: http://www.dragon4geday.com/

Dragon 4ge Day organizers:
@ImaSithDuh
@GhilDirthalen
@CaptainSavvy
@Andrastini
@DrunkDalish

_

Entry 21: Personal Favorite - Fereldan Pumpkin Apple Muffins

It is ever so predictable each year: With the fall season comes a sudden love and desire for gourds and their spices. Or maybe just the spices.

In my Skyhold, we get excited every fall season for all the wondrous and wholesome flavors of pumpkin and apple. I get particularly giddy for gourds because food staples like squash and pumpkins can last a long time if properly stored and are incredibly versatile. And Fereldan pumpkins are particularly wonderful. 

But while your latte may lack actual pumpkin (yet have calories to boot), this delicious sweet treat I modified boasts pure pumpkin and all its best spices along with the lovely sour sweetness of green apple.

This recipe is a veganized version a muffin recipe from Just a Pinch recipes by Maiah Miller (@maiah03).

So, let's begin! The first step is to collect your ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground clove, canola or vegetable oil, vanilla, one green apple, and pumpkin puree.

Making the pumpkin puree is the longest step of this whole muffin making mess. Begin by cutting your pumpkin from the stem to the bottom, all the way through. Make sure to use a large, sharp knife and take your time. Really, take your time.

Once you have two halves of a pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and pulp into a mixing bowl. You can use your hands if you're Champion material or use a spoon if you're more of a de Launcet type. Set aside. 

Place your oven rack lower in your oven and turn temperature to 325 ℉ (165 ℃). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place the clean halves insides up and drizzle with vegetable oil. Bake for one hour or until tender to a fork's touch. Allow pumpkin halves to cool slightly, then spoon baked pumpkin flesh to an other, larger mixing bowl. Compost skins. 

Take your favorite wooden spoon and stir vigorously, or use a blender, to smooth out the puree. And now your have pumpkin for the season! 

I recommend taking what you need for this recipe and a pumpkin pie's worth (which is about one of those halves). Freeze the rest for use later in the winter. To freeze long term, allow puree to cool to room temperature, then spoon into an air tight container. If you are using a plastic freezer bag, use a straw to suck any remaining air out while sealing. Place in the back of your freezer. To thaw, remove from freezer and place on a plate for four to six hours.

Or... you can just purchase a can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix, regular pumpkin puree). And if you are wondering why I do not have step-by-step images of this pumpkin pureeing process, that is because I used the last of my pumpkin puree from last year for these muffins. Yes, pumpkin and gourds in general are wonder foods capable of remaining delicious and fresh(ish) for a year (or more) when properly stored (I said that once already, but it is worth saying twice). 

Now that we finally have our pumpkin ready, let us prep that apple and ground flax "egg." And if you are wondering about those pumpkin seeds and pulp, don't worry, I'll come back to them. 

I made a double flax seed egg for this recipe: 2 tablespoons and a scant half cup of lukewarm water, set aside. Getting a larger amount of ground flax to set up and bind with the water can take time so I lollygagged here a little on other preparations.

The next step after that is to wash and core your green apple, then dice into small pieces. You can peel the skin from your apple if you like, but if you are facing leaner times this fall season, keep the skin in place. It has nutrients too. Me personally, I like to leave the apple skin in place because I like the texture when baked.

In yet another mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including sugars, until well stirred. By now your flax "egg" should be ready. Add it, the pumpkin puree, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir vigorously. You can also use a mixer for this process, but I appreciated using a basic wooden mixing spoon and some grit to bring this muffin batter together.

Hey look, it's the sneak peek image from my Instagram!

Once my apple pieces were well folded into the batter, I mixed up the topping.

For the topping, add cold vegan butter, flour, light brown sugar and some cinnamon to another bowl (for this you can use any kind of small bowl). Cut together with a pastry cutter until mixed.

And at this stage, I was ready to portion into my greased muffin pans... 

I filled my muffin cups a little over half way and added the topping... 

Then baked them for about 25 minutes!

Any here we have the very definition of fall flavor!

But let's back up a few minutes (using that amulet I found in Redcliffe Castle). While those muffins are baking, let's turn our attention back to those pumpkin seeds and pulp. Carefully and thoroughly remove seeds from pulp and separate into different bowls (and at this point we have probably used every bowl in Skyhold's  kitchen). Rinse seeds and soak in salted water for at least 24 hours. You can compost the pulp or bag and freeze for another baking project on another day.

By now the muffins had ought to be finished baking so set the pumpkin seeds aside to deal with those hot pans. You can scroll down to the bottom of this entry for the full pumpkin seed recipe.

Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack and serve!

I served mine up to friends at our monthly Dungeons and Dragons game. They smelled wonderful and were absolutely delicious! And because I baked so many, they made for a perfect, healthy afternoon snack for about two weeks.

I hope you give this delicious, healthy muffin recipe a try and enjoy with friends and family this season!

Fereldan Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Serving Size: One muffin
Recipe Yields: 22 to 24 muffins
Prep Time: If baking pumpkin puree: about two hours (totally worth it). If using canned pumpkin puree: about 25 minutes (totally your call)
Bake Time: about 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Muffins:

2 Tbsp ground flax seed and a scant 1/2 c of lukewarm water

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1 1/4 c pumpkin puree
a scant 1/2 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 Granny Smith apple, diced (optional: peeled)

Topping:
1/4 c light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp and 1 tsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp vegan butter, cold and diced

Set your oven to 350 ℉ (176 ℃).

Grease two muffin pans with canola oil or vegetable shortening, set aside.

Combine ground flax seed and 1/2 cup of water, set aside.
Prepare pumpkin as described above or open can of pumpkin puree. Wash, core, and dice apple, and (you guessed it) set aside.

Combine dry ingredients and stir well. Add in a separate bowl flax seed mixture, pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla, mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet in three parts, mix well. Fold in diced apple, set batter aside and prepare topping.

In a small bowl, cut brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vegan butter together with a pastry cutter.

Spoon muffin batter into muffin pans and sprinkle on topping. Place in oven for 25 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick; insert a toothpick into the middle of a muffin. If it comes out clean, muffins are done. Test two or three muffins to make sure batch is completely baked.

Carefully move muffins from muffin pans to a cooling rack promptly and allow to cool slightly before serving. Allow muffins to cool to room temperature before storing.

Store in an air tight container for up to two weeks.

BONUS FALL SEASON RECIPE:

Sweet Peppery Pumpkin Seeds

Recipe Yields: about 8 serving sizes
Prep Time: about 10 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 c pumpkin seeds, soaked in salt water over night and dried
3 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbps brown sugar, light or dark

Preheat oven to 300 ℉ (150 degrees ℃). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of sugar, the cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper, and set aside.

In another bowl, add pumpkin seeds, 1 tablespoon of oil and salt and mix together. Then place seeds on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the seeds in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Heat the remaining table spoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds along with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Cook and stir the seeds until the sugar forms a coating on the seeds, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the caramelized seeds into the bowl of sugar-spice mixture, toss to coat, and let cool completely.

Serve right away or store in an airtight container until the Veil comes down (because they really will last that long).

This recipe is a modified version from All Recipes.

Like what you are reading? Great! Come back for a new entry on the third Thursday of each month. And have a look at my previous entries for other recipes and Dragon Age-related trivia and oddities!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Want me to veganize your favorite recipe? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at @FoodsofThedas on Twitter. You can also follow me on Instagram, @gourmetveganthedas.

If you try out any of my recipes, please share a picture on social media and use the hashtag (#)gourmetveganthedas.


Walk always in the Maker's light.

_

Sources:

Just a Pinch: https://www.justapinch.com/
Just a Pinch, Apple Pumpkin Muffins: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/bread/muffins/pumpkin-apple-muffins.html

Wide Open Eats: https://www.wideopeneats.com/
Wide Open Eats, Save the Guts! 11 Ways to Eat Your Halloween Pumpkin Carvings:  https://www.wideopeneats.com/save-the-guts-11-ways-to-eat-your-halloween-pumpkin-carvings/

All Recipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/
All Recipes, Caramelized Spicy Pumpkin Seeds:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/152418/caramelized-spicy-pumpkin-seeds/
_

Entry 20: A Codex Entry

If you played an elvan Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition, you probably had a conversation with Solas about the old elven empire and how spells could take long periods of time to cast. But I imagine the effort of sustaining and building magical energy, Fade or Lyrium based, would take immense energy to prevent burnout. And that is roughly how I feel about this blog in a way. When I first stared in February of this year, I busily cranked out weekly blogs, then slowed my pace as I felt a mana drain coming on and posted two a month. And the last few weeks I fell into silence because not only did I burnout, personal health problems, the details of which are on my Instagram account, forced me to take even more time away from writing, cooking, and playing Dragon Age.

So in an effort to get back on track, I wanted to break down the fourth wall I have been dancing on and detail some changes to Gourmet Vegan Thedas.

First: Check out that lovely logo! Special thanks to Emeldi Art and Illustration for designing exactly what I was thinking. And he takes commissions! Check out the links below for more of his work and his weekly web comic.

Second: Many of you dear readers may have noticed my style of writing is somewhat both in and out of character. The premise for this is really just because it's fun. I enjoy applying Dragon Age symbolism and metaphor to my daily life. But there is a character here in this blog, an elven mage from the Circle Tower who works in Skyhold's kitchen. I use her as a catalyst for my writing. The real me is a very different person. 

My name is Sarah Marie, I occasionally go by "Essem" (because I'm clever), and I love Dragon Age and Bioware. I am presently on a few social media sites in different aspects. You can find me on Twitter under this blog name or search (@)FoodsofThedas. And if you are interested in following the real me on Twitter, you can find me at SMj (or by searching (@)Essem_Jay). I warn you though, I am mouthy, sarcastic, political, and make obscure intellectual jokes. The elven mage who runs the Gourmet Vegan Thedas Twitter account is much more polite.

Breakfast Smoothie Mix, from Entry 8

If you are on Instagram, you may notice that I dance on that fourth wall, in and out of character, along with sharing images of life around my home. Yes, that really is the view from my house. No, I do not actually believe there is a "Maker." I share other content on Instagram like quick recipes for household staples, cat pictures, and adventures in keeping up with my little firesprite.

I'm also on the Dragon Age subreddit, which I utterly love, under the username AGSamuels. I started my Reddit account well before I conceived of this blog and since it is well established, I did not bother to make a new Reddit account just for the blog. That's not really what Reddit is for anyway.

And I roam the servers of Discord. Bioware related, I am on the Dragon Age Universe and Freelancer Codex servers as Duchess Luca, and the Jackdaw Fanclub server as Essem.

And finally, I'm in the Dragon Age Universe Facebook group, which I adore to little pieces!

I dipped my toe in Tumblr once. It is not for me.

(Ever sit down and count all your social media accounts? Surprisingly, it took more thought than I initially anticipated.)

Tiny, Frilly Cakes, from Entry 11

Third: Changes to the blog, effective immediately! From here forward I will be posting new blog entries on the third Thursday of every month. This new schedule will allow me more time to create better quality of content, and accommodates for my new limits and capacities.

There will be some other changes, including new featured topics. I scrapped the Oghren's Drink Specials series and the Around the Web topic. I am also adjusting the Demands of the Qun topic to be its own series (and yes, these entries will have metaphors 😉). 

Take a look at the what's coming below:

Personal Favorites: this series focuses on my own recipes or versions of others' presented with a Thedosian twist. My next entry will be a Personal Favorite perfect for the fall season! I'll be sharing a sneak peek on Instagram the Tuesday before the blog is posted if you want to know more.

Foods of Thedas: my exploratory series, focused on examining food, drink, and trends portrayed in the Dragon Age franchise.

Double Feature - Personal Favorites + Foods of Thedas: in this series, I take a recipe or food concept from the Dragon Age universe, veganize it, and make it! This series is a lot of fun and really challenges me both in the kitchen and at the keyboard.

The Demands of the Qun: this series (my most popular believe it or not) is focused around sustainability and healthy living. This re-vamped series will be debuted in early 2019.

Codex Entries: This series will not be featured frequently. It is meant to be a diary and update series to let you know how things are in my Skyhold's kitchen and what to anticipate here on the blog.

Llomerryn Red, from Entry 5

Fourth: What is not changing is the format and image quality. I write this blog for fun alongside other hobbies I love. I work full time and have a family, too. I do not have a lot of funds or resources available for a more professional-looking site or better equipment. True to my philosophy mentioned in previous Demands of the Qun entries, I use what I have and do the best I can. So while my recipes, images, and site design are certainly not in the same class as most blogs you find through Pinterest, I still love what I have worked on here and don't really want to change my style. However, I will be adjusting my recipes to include prep and cook times, and approximate portion amounts.

And on the note of food and recipes featured, I realize it is not all text-book gourmet. Some of it could barely be described as fancy, but food is what you make of it ultimately (unless it's moldy, in which case it's compost). I may not be a gourmet chef by trade, but the food I make is gourmet to me.

Finally: Thank YOU! I have received an immense amount of support and encouragement from the Dragon Age and gaming circles I am a part of. I am humbled by it all. Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you have enjoyed it, increased your kitchen knowledge, and eat well.

So, from here... Into darkness, unafraid.


Like what you are reading? Great! New entries available on the third Thursday of each month. And have a look at my previous entries for other recipes and Dragon Age-related trivia and oddities!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Want me to veganize your favorite recipe? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at @FoodsofThedas on Twitter. You can also follow me on Instagram, @gourmetveganthedas.

If you try out any of my recipes, please share a picture on social media and use the hashtag (#)gourmetveganthedas or (#)GVTrecipe.


Walk always in the Maker's light.

_

Emeldi Art and Illustration: https://michael-l-davis.artstation.com//
Emeldi Art and Illustration on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eMeLDi
Emeldi Art and Illustration, Lulu and Muffin on Webtoon: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/lulu-muffin/list?title_no=192075
Emeldi Art and Illustration on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/emeldi_art

Want some custom artwork? He will draw for you!
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Entry 19: Personal Favorite - Rivaini Red Pepper Hummus

As the weather turns from warm summer to the familiar autumn chill of fall, I yearn for root vegetables, and wholesome spices and sauces. Vegetables on their own don't quite satisfy hungry too well so a nice spread or sauce is needed. And hummus serves nicely. Delicious, nutritious hummus.

I am particularly fond of bold, wholesome flavors in hummus and generally think of it as a Rivaini food the people of Thedas enjoy. I have praised Rivaini food and culture in my previous entry about Llomerryn Red. If that complicated and spicy sauce is a mainstay of Rivian, it is not a great leap of imagination to see spiced and peppered hummus as a part of its food culture. Also, hummus originally came from the Middle East and Rivain is the closest representation of this real world geographic area in Thedas. Yet unlike Llomerryn Red, hummus is a quick and easy recipe to master.

Now, before we go further, yes, I realize hummus is one of those stereotypical vegan staples, both lauded and loathed. It's right up there with other "must-eat" food items, such as kale, quinoa, and breakfast smoothies, needed for your vegan lifestyle badge. But hummus is also one of those foods many do not think of as vegan specifically. Take a look in your pantry and at the ingredients lists of some of your favorite snacks. Chances are something in there you enjoy is vegan. Hummus is a familiar and delicious snack spread that is versatile and healthy while also subtly vegan.

I enjoyed hummus long before I transitioned to a vegan diet and lifestyle. I spent more coin than I care to count on small, round tubs filled with the famous chickpea paste. Sun-dried red pepper and garlic hummus was my favorite. And when I learned how to make hummus, I was astonished at how easy it really is to have homemade! Chickpeas, olive oil, tahini and garlic are the main ingredients. And after blending those, you can flavor it how you like with peppers or olives, more garlic, allium powders or chili seasonings, or even more garlic.

And recently I decided to level up my skill by making my own tahini, which only requires sesame seeds, sesame oil, lemon juice, garlic, and water (see recipe below with full hummus recipe).

Lately I have been interested in learning to make and appreciate low-oil hummus. The olive oil is really what makes hummus a smooth, thick spread. I can't claim this recipe is oil-free, but it comes close. As stated above, the tahini calls for a scant amount of sesame oil, but besides that, this recipe is healthy and wholesome.

So, let's begin by setting out our ingredients: garlic, red bell pepper, chickpeas (soaked overnight or prepared in a pressure cooker), and that homemade tahini.

For this recipe, you will be making the most of the aquafaba, the viscous water in which chickpeas have been cooked or soaked in. This is the replacement ingredient for olive oil. Using it sparingly will yield a fluffy texture, whereas using more will give you a creamier texture.

Also, this is one of those recipes that can be adjusted to suit your tastes. Add as much or as little garlic, pepper or seasoning as you like.

I used my food processor, starting with the chickpeas.

Once processed, add the tahini, diced red pepper, garlic, and aquafaba, (plus salt and lemon). You can add other seasonings too, such a chili powder, onion powder, mined shallots; the possibilities are as varied as what's in your pantry or on your spice rack.

Process until well blended. How smooth or chunky you want your hummus to be is up to you. And that's it!

Admittedly, I kind of like a chunky texture to my hummus since I started making it homemade regularly.

Serve it up with fresh cut vegetables and pretzels, or pita bread right away. You can store it in a container with a tight fitting lid and chill in your refrigerator. This hummus will last about a week and may need to be stirred before serving after a few days.



Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

1/2 c of soaked or cooked chickpeas
1/4 c aquafaba
2-4 Tbsp on tahini
1/4-1/2 of a large red bell pepper, diced
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
(Optional: 1 tsp of salt, juice of half a lemon)

Directions:

Add chickpeas to a food processor or blender and process until fine. Add aquafaba, tahini, red bell pepper and garlic (and salt and lemon juice), then blend or process until thick and smooth. Add more aquafaba or tahini as desired.

Serve immediately or store in a container with a tight fitting lid, chill in refrigerator. This hummus can last about a week and may need to be stirred before serving after a few days.


Tahini

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
Up to 1/2 c water

Directions:
Grind sesame seeds finely in a clean coffee grinder, then move to a small food processor. Add sesame oil, juice and salt, and process again. Then gradually add water until well blended.

Store in an airtight container and chill before using. This tahini should last about two weeks in your refrigerator.



I plan to expand upon this recipe and try other seasonings and spiciness. I'll largely be sharing my efforts on Instagram, with other baking and cooking adventures. Make sure to follow to keep up with Skyhold's favorite kitchen mage!

Like what you are reading? Great! Come back for a new entry on September 27. And have a look at my previous entries for other recipes and Dragon Age-related trivia and oddities!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Want me to veganize your favorite recipe? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at @FoodsofThedas on Twitter. You can also follow me on Instagram, @gourmetveganthedas.

If you try out any of my recipes, please share a picture on social media and use the hashtag (#)gourmetveganthedas.


Walk always in the Maker's light.

Entry 18: Personal Favorite - Antivan Drip Coffee

Well, last Thursday, I had intended to post an eloquent entry full of information and tricks for seamlessly transitioning your kitchen to a castle of vegan sustainability. But it turns out taking a large topic and breaking it down into bite-sized chunks is more difficult than I initially thought. And frankly I have only been at this vegan, blogging lifestyle for less than a year, so I think it is fair to say I am still in need of some practice for consistency. In the midst of realizing this late one night last week, I also realized I needed some coffee.

So today, we are going to brew some hot and delicious Antivan drip coffee! Mmm, coffee. Coffee is as essential as lyrium here at Skyhold but not always made well. And depending on how you prepare your coffee, or where you spend coin to obtain it, you may not be getting the best brew possible. A clean, quick Antivan drip is fast, easy, cheap (in the long run), and delicious to the last drop!


So why Antiva? Well, you have this little comic I found awhile ago on Pinterest, by Shinga, to thank for that:

The more I think about coffee and Antivan culture, the more realistic the connection becomes.


My rogue partner over the years has created and perfected a seamless and efficient brewing method that certainly saves us quite a bit of coin. Every penny counts after all when you have to save to fill that hole in the wall.

I do not usually like to list products I use because I believe many of the recipes I share can be made by commonly owned kitchen tools. But we are passionate about coffee and we want to share that passion with you, so I have included a list of products used in this blog with links to where you can find them.


First up, make sure your materials are clean and your beans fresh! You will need: filters, kettle, scale, and your coffee beans, shown here in my partner's air-tight vault made specially for coffee beans.

My kettle isn't so clean on the outside, but it's always sparkling on the inside. I told you I was a mage, right?

We buy whole beans in bulk and store them in an air-tight vault. Buying whole beans and grinding them at home you can ensure a fresh flavor and aroma every brew.

And now for the filter-holder and carafe:

Yes, we make our coffee in a giant Slim Jim mug. 

But before you start measuring your beans, make sure whatever you are use to drink your coffee from is clean. My Templar and I have been through a lot together so it has some wear. It shows some stains and scars that may never fade. But that is not a valid reason for me to leave it to an oily fate. A clean coffee thermos matters because taste matters.

If you are curious why I call my tumbler my 'Templar', check
out my post on Instagram.

This is after a solid eight rounds of serious scrubbing.

Coffee leaves behind oils that accumulate over time. And over that time they can have a drastic effect on the taste of your freshly made coffee as well as leave an oder behind. Coffee tastes its best when brewed slowly and drunk from a warm, clean vessel.

Now on to the brewing! The basics steps are:

Measure 30 grams of beans on your scale, then ground. If you are making two cups, measure 60 grams. For us that means setting the timer to grind for 15 seconds. For two cups, we grind beans for 30 seconds.

Fold the filter to fit the filter holder.

Boil water. Remove kettle from heat...

And pour water into filter and carafe. Make sure the filter is completely soaked.

Set your kettle back on the stove, on a cool burner. Do not place it on the hot burner. Never pour boiling water over your grounds. Dump the hot water out of the carafe into the sink. Then add coffee grounds to filter, set on carafe and place the whole thing on your scale, then zero-out scale.

Pour 60 grams (120 grams for 2 cups) of hot - not boiling - water over the center of the grounds for about 30 seconds, allow to drain into carafe.

Then pour water over the center of the grounds until scale total reads 350 grams (700 for two cups, you will fill the filter almost completely with water).

Ignore the numbers pictured on our scale, we forgot to zero it out.

Allow water to drain until dripping lightly.

Remove filter from carafe and promptly place in your filter and grounds into your compost bin.

Call me an odd nug, but I think coffee is beautiful in all its forms.

If you do not have compost services in your area, contact your local Ban about that.

Pour brewed coffee into your clean tumbler or favorite coffee mug and enjoy!

Or doll up with sweeters and milks... If you're into that. This mage is hardcore and enjoys her coffee as black as the Void.


Common Coffee Missteps:

Pre-ground coffee is a waste fore it perishes far too quickly. And freezing your beans, whole or ground, isn't a good idea either. If you need to freeze coffee, freeze it whole bean and do not grind it until it is completely thawed to room temperature. (These two tips go together because my well-meaning grandmother - who may as well be the Dowager of the family - once sent us a bag a ground coffee that had been previously frozen. It was easily the worst cup on coffee I had ever had. And I've had coffee in the field deep in the Hinterlands!)

Do not pour boiling water over your grounds. Do not pour boiling water over your grounds. DO NOT pour boiling water over your grounds. Allow the water in your whistling kettle to cool slightly, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pouring boiling water over your coffee grounds will burn your coffee and leech away the flavor like an Arcane Horror sucking away your life. Do not pour boiling water over your grounds.

An air-tight container and a good quality grinder make all the difference. If you are not able to obtain a fancy grinder, clean the grinder you use regularly (remember the oils thing? Coffee in all its forms leaves an oily film behind.) And an opaque, airtight container helps your whole beans stay fresher for longer.


If you are curious why we have all the expensive coffee equipment but lack a proper carafe, there's a rather dull explanation for that.

I broke our last two carafes and the giant Slim Jim mug is the only thing we are left large enough to hold two servings of coffee. It does the trick. And has a unique charm to it.

I hope you pick up your favorite flavor of beans and give this method a try, and then try it again, and again until you get that perfect brew that lifts your spirits as well as refills your mana and stamina bars!

Product list:
Bialetti Tea Kettle
Salter Ultra Thin Glass Kitchen Scale (we have an older model, link to the newer model)
Friis 16-Ounce Coffee Vault
Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder
Melitta Pour Over Coffee Cone Brewer and Filters (just about any kind of generic filters will do)

We used to have the Melitta Cone Filter Coffeemaker kit but if you are really into the Slim Jim mug, you can find it here. Be careful though, pouring with it takes practice.


Like what you are reading? Great! Come back for a new entry on September 13. And have a look at my previous entries for other recipes and Dragon Age-related trivia and oddities!

Have any friendly suggestions or cool ideas? Want me to veganize your favorite recipe? Please feel free to comment below. You can also email me at foodsofthedas@gmail.com, message me at AGSamuels on Reddit, or tweet me at @FoodsofThedas on Twitter. You can also follow me on Instagram, @gourmetveganthedas.

If you try out any of my recipes, please share a picture on social media and use the hashtag (#)gourmetveganthedas.

Walk always in the Maker's light.

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Image Source:

Art of Shinga: https://artofshinga.tumblr.com/
Art of Shinga, Noli has coffee for the first time: https://artofshinga.tumblr.com/post/162806625492/noli-has-coffee-for-the-first-time

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