Month: November 2012

by betsy

Vegan Cous-Cous and Grilled Butternut Squash with Anise, Sage, Sumac & Sesame-Scented Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings as a side dish

I have to admit: I am quite proud of myself for the combination of spices in this dish!

I think I could eat foods seasoned with cumin and coriander; turmeric and smoked paprika; or sage and rosemary at every meal and be quite happy.

But I challenged myself to branch out, and this mixture, inspired by za’atar, seemed a fitting direction for the combination of cous-cous and butternut squash.  And it is!  Now it will be all I can do not to season every recipe with “Sass” (Sage, Anise, Sumac, and Sesame)!

Garnish this simple dish any way you choose, but since I used anise in the recipe, I thought that star anise would be a lovely, homespun, organic, yet festive nod to the winter holidays.

 

2 cups cooked cous-cous (To cook: bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil, stir in 1 cup cous-cous, cover, and remove from heat.  Let sit for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.)

1/2 pound peeled and seeded butternut squash rings, about 1/3 inch thick, grilled,and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (To grill: rub lightly with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and grill over medium high heat for about 4 minutes on each side or until nice grill marks appear and squash is tender.)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon dry rubbed sage

1 teaspoon anise seeds, ground to a powder in a spice or coffee grinder

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

*1 teaspoon sumac (available at Middle Eastern and some Indian markets)

Pinch garlic powder

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dried red pepper flakes to taste

Garnish: sage sprigs, chopped pistachios, toasted sesame seeds.

Place cooked cous-cous and grilled butternut squash in a serving bowl.  Drizzle vinaigrette over the top and gently fold in until evenly distributed.  Garnish with fresh sage sprigs, chopped pistachios, and/or toasted sesame seeds and serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: sumac, with its earthy and subtle lemony flavor, is worth searching for.  But if you can’t find it, a small amount of lemon zest could be substituted, though I wouldn’t know how much to suggestion.  Maybe 1/4 teaspoon?

by betsy

Tasty Old and New Vegan Dishes Bloomed on Our Thanksgiving 2012 Platter

I love Thanksgiving for many reasons, including that while its religious undertones are undeniable, people can give thanks to whomever or whatever they choose in whatever way they please.

The most important components are friends, family, a grateful heart and–let’s not kid ourselves–fabulous food. In regard to the latter, I’m all about tradition, but I especially love to gently twist or even break it!

The one constant in our celebration is that, except for the first year we were married, my husband and I have hosted Thanksgiving in our home for both families, his from Philadelphia and, now, parts south and west; and mine from Laurel, MS.  The total number of guests has fluctuated in the ensuing 21 years, depending on who was available to travel and, sadly, who was no longer with us. Some years, we have even enjoyed the company of Joe’s aunts and our friends, Art and Donna.

This year, my sister is facing some surgery and, though still working and going about her daily activities, isn’t 100% and wasn’t up to traveling. So my sweet mother stayed home with her, but encouraged my similarly sweet father to fly over. He debated but, in the end, when Gin’s surgery wasn’t scheduled until December, decided he would enjoy coming. We certainly enjoyed having him, “The Thanksgiving Visitor,” as my sister referred to him in emails, a reference to Truman Capote’s book by the same name. But we all missed the Gough girls.

Though the locale has stayed the same, the menu has varied widely. I especially enjoyed the several year run during which we hosted “Thematic Thanksgivings,” from “American Diner”–complete with fried acorn squash rings (instead of onion rings)–to Thai, to Tunisian and much more. After Joe’s mother, who had survived his father by a few years, passed away a couple of years ago, his sisters were feeling nostalgic and requested a traditional celebration, complete with a roast turkey. Eek. I don’t purchase, cook or, certainly, eat animal products, but I told them that if they wanted to cook it and bring it, they could. And they did, bringing the bird from Philadelphia and cooking it in their suite at our oceanfront. As my sister-in-law Tina said, she wasn’t sure who was more excited to see the turkey, my papa or our Great Dane, Huff!

I thought this year’s side dishes, gravy, and desserts were particularly tasty, healthy, and beautiful on our plates.  But they would be just as tasty alone or combined with other favorites of yours during any cool month of the year.  So I wanted to share our menu and links to the recipes (just click on the recipe titles) with all of you for whom I am very grateful.  I hope your Thanksgiving was tremendous!

Thanksgiving Menu 2012

 

Mom’s Corn Pudding (veganized)

Vegan Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower

Vegan Roasted Pumpkin with Pepita-Sage Pesto

Vegan Kale Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Figs and Dates Topped with Smoked Almonds

Vegan Mushroom Misto Gravy

Note that I used 4 small striped pumpkins about 6 inches in diameter  instead of a Turk’s Turban Squash as recommended in the link and doubled the Pesto to serve 8 people with other side dishes.

Terri Ann’s Vegan Cranberry-Clementine and Walnut Sauce

Vegan Cranberry Orange Crunch with Blooming Platter Whipped “Cream”

Note: to the filling of my tried and true Cranberry Crunch recipe, I added the zest of one large naval orange to the cooked filling.

Vegan Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Caymus Cabernet/Hot Tea/Coffee

Mom’s Corn Pudding (veganized)


Vegan Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower


Roasted Pumpkin with Pepita-Sage Pesto

 

Vegan Kale Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Figs and Dates Topped with Smoked Almonds


Vegan Mushroom Misto Gravy


Terri Ann’s Vegan Cranberry-Clementine and Walnut Sauce


Vegan Cranberry Orange Crunch with Blooming Platter Whipped “Cream”

 

Vegan Oatmeal Fudge Bars

 

by betsy

Vegan Mushroom Misto Gravy (Perfect for a Veg Thanksgiving!)

Yield: approximately 6 cup of gravy

Vegans need their gravy too and this one is delectable even without–or maybe especially without–“drippings.”

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped

5 ounces mixed mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices (e.g. shitake, cremini, baby bellas, etc.; I purchase a pre-sliced blend at the grocery store)

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

4-2 inch sprigs fresh rosemary

4 cup vegetable stock

Optional: 2 vegetable bouillon cubes for a flavor boost

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I bake with white whole wheat flour, so that’s what I use)

6 tablespoons dry white wine

Sea salt to taste

Freshl ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add shallot and saute, stirring, for about a minute.  Then add mushrooms and saute until they are softened and have released most of their moisture, about 3 minutes.  Add sage and rosemary followed by vegetable broth and bouillon cubes if using.  Heat to simmering, stirring frequently.  Meanwhile, whisk together in a small bowl flour and white wine.  Then temper the mixture with a ladle full (about a half cup) of some of the hot stock.  Transfer the mixture to the skillet, whisking vigorously.  Simmer, whisking, until flour is no longer raw, about 2 to 3 minutes, and desired consistency is reached.   Remove rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off into the gravy) and serve hot.  Note: if you want a really chunky gravy, you may add an additional 5 ounces of mushrooms with the first 5 ounces.

by betsy

Mom’s Corn Pudding—Veganized!

Yield: 8 servings

A few years back, my mom found the recipe that inspired this dish and started making it when she would come with my sister and dad for Thanksgiving.

It was a hit, but we abandoned it for a number of years because of our multi-cultural “Thematic Thanksgiving” approach.  Two years ago, after both of my husband’s parents’ had passed away, his sisters seemed to be craving a more traditional Thanksgiving for nostalgic reasons.  And this pudding was always a favorite of Tina’s.

So, a month ago, I made it a couple of times, testing different approaches to veganizing it.  The second one was almost “it,” though the silken extra firm tofu didn’t lend quite the right texture.  With my fingers crossed, I made it Thanksgiving morning with regular extra firm tofu and it was perfect.

Though corn is a summer veg, this recipe relies on the frozen variety for it’s special texture, so I like to make it off-season and Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion.

20 ounces frozen corn

2 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

14 ounces regular (not silken) extra fim tofu, drained

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I bake with white whole wheat, so that’s what I use)

1 tablespoon natural sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black salt (available at Indian markets and online; desired for its sulphury-eggy taste) or an additional 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace

1/4 teaspoon sriracha sauce or your favorite hot sauce

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coarsely chop corn in a food processor and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Oil an 8-inch round souffle dish, drop in the 2 tablespoons butter, and melt by heating for a few seconds in the microwave.  In a food processor, combine all ingredients, including melted butter, except corn, vinegar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  In a small cup, combine vinegar, baking powder, and baking soda (it will fizz up) and add immediately to the tofu mixture.  Process another few seconds or until the vinegar mixture is completely incorporated.  Pour the tofu mixture over the corn and fold together until completely combined.  The mixture will be very thick because the corn is so icy.   Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 1/4 hours or until set and top is golden brown.  Serve immediately.  To make ahead: refrigerate the baked and cooled pudding, covered, until one hour before you plan to serve it.  Remove it from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for a half hour.  Then heat, still covered, for 20-30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

by betsy

Vegan Kale Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Figs and Dates Topped with Smoked Almonds

Yield: 8 servings

This beautiful and healthful salad was inspired by one that my close friend, Yvette Hetrick, makes with fresh figs caramelized in orange balsamic.  Ever since she shared the idea for her dish with me, I had wanted to make a version for Thanksgiving.

When Yvette and her husband, Randy, lived in VA Beach (they live in Sausalito now), we used to start co-planning in earnest for our respective feasts as soon as the November culinary magazines hit the stands.  And afterwards, we would pool our leftovers for a potluck dinner following a long beach-state park hike with all of our dogs in tow.  She and I both miss that tradition so much.

Undeterred by the lack of fresh figs and orange balsamic in VA Beach, I plunged ahead using two kinds of dried figs, adding some dates for good measure, and substituting pomegranate balsamic vinegar which was readily available at our local Kroger and sounded very fitting for the holiday.

After marinating the figs and dates all day, I turned over their caramelization to our nephew, Curt Lindelow, a partner and manager of a Bonefish Grill in South Carolina, who knows his way around a kitchen.  He did a beautiful job unsupervised by me and even recommended additional dressing, which was on point.  The following recipe reflects our combined efforts.

8 dried Kalamata figs, stems snipped, and the figs sliced into 3 pieces each

8 Mission figs, stems snipped, and sliced in half lengthwise

8 dates, pitted, and sliced in half lengthwise

6 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

4-2 inch sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon yellow or Dijon mustard

1/3 cup smoked almonds plus a few more for garnish

8 cups shredded fresh kale (I fold the leaves lengthwise, cut out the stems with kitchen shears, and pulse the kale in a couple of batches in a food processor fitted with a metal blade)

Several hours or the day before you plan to serve the salad, place figs and dates in a shallow dish (I use a ceramic 5 x 9-inch loaf pan).  Whisk together the vinegar and oil and pour it over the fruit.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then add rosemary and garlic.  Stir to combine.  Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature.

Just before serving time, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add the fruit and all of the marinade and cook down, slightly caramelizing, for about 7 minutes. Whisk in the mustard.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.  Place the shredded kale in a serving bowl and pour the contents of the skillet directly over the kale.  Toss to evenly distribute the fruit and dressing.  Add smoked almonds, toss lightly again, and serve the salad immediately garnished with a few more smoked almonds if desired.

by betsy

Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4-6 servings

If you want to skip this preamble, just scroll down a short ways.

I’ll just confess right off the bat that I have no specific proportions for this delicious vegan and plant-based dish inspired by my dear friend Yvette Hetrick.  For some of you, the lack of a precise formula may come as a great relief, as you can ad lib to your heart’s content.

I started off keeping track of what I was adding for flavor.  However, since I was working in 3 batches for the number of guests we had for Thanksgiving–and since I kept adjusting–I gave up at some point.  (And, by the way, a double recipe would have been plenty for 8 people; I enjoyed lots of leftovers!)

So, following is all you need to know to veganize this old “Weight Watchers” standard to suit YOUR taste.  Don’t let the dish’s dietary “roots” turn you off; it’s just that, ounce for ounce, cauliflower has far fewer calories than potatoes.  However, by the time I get finished doctoring it up, I’m not sure how many fewer calories it actually has.  But it does have it’s own unique flavor somewhere between cauliflower and potatoes.  And for that reason alone, it’s a keeper.  By all means, feel free to go easy on the ‘butta, sour cream and such, and then you can reap the low-cal benefits.

Be forewarned: cauliflower is LOADED with fiber, so it is very easy to feel overly full after a moderate portion of this dish.  Of course, you could just exercise some portion control, but it is so tasty that that is easier than it sounds!

Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Note: you can sub a microwaveable 12-ounce bag frozen cauliflower florets to speed things along.

4 cups water

Sea salt

1 large head of cauliflower, cored, broken into florets, rinsed and drained

1 head roasted garlic (rub whole head with olive oil and roast at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until very soft)

Any or all of the following in whatever proportions you desire; let taste be your guide: vegan butter, vegan sour cream, vegan cream cheese, and nutritional yeast (do NOT omit the cheesy “nooch”!)

Pinch white pepper

Optional garnish: snipped fresh chives

In a 4-quart covered saucepan, bring generously salted water to a boil.  Add cauliflower, loosely cover pan, and gently boil for about 6 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary.

  • Drain cauliflower, place in full size food processor (or process in batches), and process until smooth and still warm (this is very important).  Add half the head of garlic and season to taste with vegan butter, sour cream, cream cheese, nutritional yeast, additional salt, and white pepper, processing again to completely incorporate.  If you like a lot of rich garlic flavor, add some or all of remaining roasted garlic.  Serve warm–reheat in microwave if necessary– garnished if desired.
by betsy

Terri Ann Lindelow’s Vegan Cranberry-Clementine and Walnut Sauce

Though my sisters-in-law travel to our home from Pennsylvania, they generously contribute to the Thanksgiving feast.  For the last two years, Terri Ann Lindelow’s take on traditional cranberry sauce has graced our table and it is a keeper!

She simply follows the recipe on the bag of cranberries (one bag of rinsed and picked cranberries, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of natural sugar simmered together for 5 to 10 minutes or until cranberries pop and the mixture thickens), but she substitutes clementine juice for the water and adds a generous portion of walnut pieces.  She doesn’t measure, so maybe start with 1/3 of a cup and see if you want more.

The brightness of the citrus and the texture of the walnuts makes this a very special cranberry sauce indeed!

by betsy

The Best Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake with Revolutionary Vegan Whipped Cream–my first recipe published on VegNews!

Okay, I didn’t call my Flourless Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream the best.  Someone else did…

The Praise

When my new long-distance friend and fellow (amazing) Vegan Heritage Press cookbook author, Bryanna Clark Grogan (World Vegan Feast and others), was helping me test the recipes for this dessert, she served it to friends, one of whom said, “This is the best ——- cake I’ve ever eaten!”  That’s good enough for me!  And I trust it will be for you too.

The Back Story

Back in my pre-vegan years in Nashville, I did some moonlighting as a catering assistant for my dear friend Monica Holmes at her award winning Clean Plate Club.  She made what can only be described as a transcendent Flourless Chocolate Cake.  Since this type of cake contains no flour, the batter relies on eggs for structure and lift.

I knew there had to be a way to veganize it, but the recipes I’d researched, including from people I respect in the field, looked and sounded like vegan chocolate cheesecakes made with tofu or they contained beans and appeared a bit dry with a crackly top, or they actually included some flour.  I’m sure all are delicious, but they aren’t what I wanted.

The Cake

I wanted something as dense, moist, silky and rich as the original.  And that’s what I got, but not until I had baked the cake about 5 times (and made the cream about 7)!  At least. The first try was an unmitigated disaster.  But it had potential, and that just spurred me on to redouble my efforts.  Meanwhile, the generous Bryanna, in British Columbia, was doing the same with the recipe revisions I’d send her, and we were comparing notes.  Bry, I love you for many reasons, including your help with this feat o’ chocolate and cream!

My version of the cake is, indeed, based on tofu, but it has some “secret” ingredients responsible for its fabulousness which you are sure not to confuse with cheesecake.  It’s its own brand of wonderful.

The Revolutionary Whipped Cream

And the cream, well, it is truly revolutionary.  At least, I could find no similar recipes online.  As you can see in the photo, it is a beautiful thing to behold. Plus, it is fat-free, cholesterol-free, soy-free, gluten-free (if your extracts are gluten-free), and low calorie!  Not only that, but it is delicious and a breeze to make.

For a very long time, I had been thinking that there had to be a way to make homemade vegan whipped cream from one of the vegan creamers.  I love both savory and sweet cashew cream, but it is a little heavy and thick, calorie laden, and distinctively flavored.  Ditto coconut cream aerated in one of those n2o cartridge-powered whippers. 

My cream is delicious with a creamy-fluffy, even billowy texture, and a more neutral flavor (but by neutral, I don’t mean bland!).  You will love it on all of your desserts that call for a whipped topping. The base is coconut milk creamer.  But can you guess the secret ingredient that makes the magic happen?  Funny story about the coconut milk creamer: I purchased it, disappointed that my grocery store was out of soymilk creamer.  But what a happy accident!  It turns out that the recipe ONLY works with the coconut milk creamer.  With soymilk creamer, you get something akin to pastry cream instead.

The Recipe and Thanks to VegNews

Many thanks to the brilliantly talented and generous food editors et al at VegNews for publishing these recipes in “What’s Cooking” online.  Please click right HERE to be taken directly to their site for both.  And while you’re there, if you haven’t already, enjoy all the good things VegNews offers its readers on a daily basis.

Happy Thanksgiving

I’m posting this recipe now just in case you, like me, are offering chocolate for the first time for Thanksgiving.  But, personally, I think the winter holidays are the dessert’s time to shine, dressed up with a little pomegranate seed bling, as in the photo, or a bit of crushed peppermint.  In the summer, it has to be raspberries.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

by betsy

Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna with Smokey Marinara Sauce and “Ricotta” with Kale Pesto

Yield: 4 servings

Just in time for Thanksgiving, I finally got serious about a challenge long before me: a perfect butternut squash lasagna!

Every time I think about making a butternut squash lasagna–and there have been many times over the years!–I never end up doing it because I can’t make up my mind about whether or not to include mushrooms and/or spinach, whether to go with a bechamel or a tofu “ricotta” layer, whether or not to give in and incorporate some purchased vegan cheese (of which I’m not a big fan), in what order the layers should go, and on and on.  All of the possibilities just short-out my circuits.

But, recently, I had an already peeled and ready-to-cook butternut squash in the fridge from our farmer’s market, some lasagna noodles, and a fresh batch of my Smokey Kale Pesto.  The kale pesto made it easy to decide how to incorporate the greens–into a tofu “ricotta” layer–which also answered the bechamel vs. “ricotta” question.  And since I didn’t have any mushrooms on hand, the rest just sort of fell into place.

This beautiful golden lasagna stacks up high but holds together beautifully to cut.  Acidic fire-roasted tomatoes prevent it from being overly sweet.  And the creamy ricotta layer receives a major flavor boost and a hint of color from the pesto.  Since I make this bright green pesto with smoked almonds, I added a little smoked paprika to the marinara to marry the flavors.  Because of these smokey notes, fire-roasted tomatoes are perfect.

Ultimately, I opted for no purchased vegan cheese, so I just sprinkled my beloved nutritional yeast over the marinara as the last layers.  But then, not wanting the top to seem dry and wanting one final burst of fall flavors, I sauteed some fresh sage leaves and roasted pepitas in olive oil, drizzling the leaves, nuts, and sage-infused olive oil over the top of the lasagna before serving.

Wow!  The results were worth all the years of waiting!

Though it’s a little different, this dish would be a beautiful and welcome addition to even the most traditional of holiday feasts.  Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Note: To make this lasagna ultra-easy to put together, I like to prepare the various parts a day in advance.  The pesto can even be made a couple of days in advance, as the lemon juice will keep it bright green.

For my recipe, head over to One Green Planet with one easy click HERE!  It seems to be very popular among OGP readers and I hope all of you, as well!

 

 

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...