Rouxbe Cooking School Holiday Sale

As you may know, I joined Rouxbe Cooking School as the Director of Vegan Baking and Pastry. For many months prior to launching the inaugural Essential Vegan Desserts course on November 10^th, I had the pleasure of working with Wicked Healthy chef Chad Sarno, and chef Ken Rubin (aka Kencyclopedia). Chad is the VP of Wellness at Rouxbe, as well as lead chef in the Plant Based Professional Certificate Course, and Ken is VP of Culinary Training. In addition to Chad and Ken, there was chef Dawn, “the voice”, Patrick and the entire tech team,; Daniela, whose videography is the best I have ever seen; and even more people I have yet to meet. Rouxbe HQ is in Vancouver, and that’s where I went to shoot the teaching videos.

But the big question for me was this: Can pastry and baking of any kind- or culinary be taught online? Well, after I went through the Rouxbe Plant Based Pro program, I had my answer—and it was a resounding yes!  (Actually, Rouxbe trains chefs for the biggest hotel chains too.) I was hooked, to put it mildly. As my friend Charlene Nolan, a Rouxbe Plant-Based Professional grad who is Jane and Ann Esselstyn’s publicist says,” It is like a super book you cannot put down!”

The detailed video lessons, infographics, charts, tasks supporting the lessons, and quizzes, all with instructor support, and live events, are first rate. And so the 90-Day Essential Vegan Desserts Course was born. (Think months of skype meetings, google docs and some platforms too sophisticated for me, but not for the engineers.)

I enjoy classroom teaching, but I understand the many benefits of online learning– when it is done right. Updating the Costigan Vegan Baking Boot Camp^® and taking it online meant a more affordable and more flexible option for students from around the world to learn the essentials of vegan baking and pastry. And the first group of students is rocking the desserts!

The next Essential Vegan Desserts Course starts February 2^nd, and you can take advantage now of a holiday sale price if you act fast!!

It’s never too late to give the gift of world-class cooking courses to yourself, family or friend. Now through December 25th all of Rouxbe courses are on sale! Because these courses are all online, you can complete them from the comfort of your own home.  Ready to get cooking and making desserts? Read on! Remember, this is an online course, which means you need not start on the actual start date, but at your convenience.

Classes to Choose From:

Essential Vegan Desserts
Based on Fran Costigan’s popular Vegan Baking Boot Camp^®, and lead by chef Fran, this course focuses on essential techniques and recipes so you can create quality vegan desserts with confidence.
Perfect for: individuals looking to transform traditional desserts with no egg, dairy-free alternatives. The inaugural course launched in November and the next course starts Feb 2^nd.
90-day course | $449.99 (reg. $499.99)
Use code HOLIDAY2 at checkout

Plant-Based Professional Certification
This groundbreaking certification course led by chef Chad Sarno focuses on the application of core techniques and allows you to explore and practice a variety of recipes and flavors from around the world.
Perfect for: serious home cooks and healthcare professionals that want to master technique in the plant-based kitchen.
6-month course | $1,199.99 (reg. $1,299.99)
Use code HOLIDAY3 at checkout

Culinary RX
An instructional cooking and nutrition course that empowers students through their transition to a more health-supportive diet and lifestyle.
Perfect for: health-conscious individuals that want to learn how to prepare food they feel good eating.
60-day course | $124.99 (reg. $199.99)
Use code HOLIDAY1 at checkout

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Zucchini Muffins with Pistachios

Theses not-too-sweet, moist and tender muffins prepared with all whole wheat pastry flours are perfect to make when the always bountiful zucchini is in season.

Yields 12 muffins

Author Fran Costigan

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 tbsp ground chia seeds
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 6 tbsp powdered whole cane sugar
• 6 tbsp powdered coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup any neutral vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, Grade A dark or dark amber
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini, packed
• 2/3 cup pistachio nut meats, salted or unsalted

Instructions

1. Position a rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Oil a standard 12 cup muffin tin.
2. Pour the almond milk into a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle the ground chia over the milk and set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk, set aside for an additional 5 minutes.
3. Measure, sift and combine together the dry ingredients as directed in the base recipe.
4. Whisk the chia mixture. Add the oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla and whisk until emulsified.
5. Pour into the dry ingredients, and whisk until the batter is just barely smooth. Stir the zucchini and pistachios into the batter.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each to the top. Bake 17 to 19 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of a few muffins holds just few crumbs and does not feel gummy.
7. Remove from the oven and set the tin on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Carefully run a thin knife between the muffins and the inside of the cups. Gently lift each muffin onto the rack to cool completely.
8. If desired, brush with maple syrup and top with a few chopped pistachios.

Recipe Notes

Double the recipe and bake zucchini pistachio bread — use a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

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