Today I share no real recipe, just a suggestion for combining components in the most luscious of grilled cheese sandwiches built on colors and flavors that complement and contrast.
“Sandwiched” between 2 pieces of a rosemary olive oil bread are slices of Tofutti’s American style cheese, griddled green apple (sliced about 1/4 inch thick), caramelized onions, and a harissa cream cheese made with about 2 or so tablespoons of Tofutti Garlic-Herb Better-Than-Ceam Cheese and about 2 teaspoons of prepared harissa. I gently heated them together for a few seconds in the microwave and whisked until smooth.
The tangy cheese slices, tart apple, sweet onions, and spicy cream cheese are the perfect foils for each other.
If you are unable to get Tofutti products where you live, their website Includes a product locator.
This moist and fudgy cake is winter incarnate thanks to pear puree in the batter and chai tea spices in the glaze. It is also deliciously vegan and plant-based.
Gild this lily with dried edible flowers and cinnamon sticks and it becomes Valentine’s Day incarnate, sweet-but-not-too. For every day, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and a few chopped nuts would be just right.
Find my recipe at https://www.tofutti.com/recipe-blog/tofutti-dairy-free-vegan-chocolate-loaf with a big thanks to Tofutti, who commissioned this beauty.
Rustic Beer Bread in a Microwave Mug is so quick, easy, and addicting.
Beer Bread in a Microwave Mug–with garlic and parmesan (vegan & plant-based)
Yield: 1 serving per mug
I created this recipe while snowed in period it wasn’t so much that I was afraid to drive on the snow, though there was that, there was that, but I just didn’t want to splash mud and salt all over my car. I made this cute, moist, and flavorful bread with what I had on hand. And will be making it throughout the winter… and warmer months as well.
1 tablespoon vegan butter, divided (I use Myokos) 1/2 cup flour Pinch sea salt Pinch garlic powder Optional: pinch dried parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 cup beer (I use Bud Light; identify vegan beers on Barnivore) 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon shredded vegan Parmesan (I like Follow Your Heart)
Optional: scant pinch freshly ground black pepper
In a microwave safe mug, melt 2 teaspoons vegan butter. Remove from microwave and swirl around sides of cup. In a small bowl or cup, stir together all dry ingredients with a fork. Make a well in center and pour in beer. Stir with fork until completely combined. Stir in 1 tablespoon parmesan and melted butter. Spoon mixture into buttered mug and top with remaining teaspoon shredded parm and optional black pepper. Microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes at full power, checking after 2. If mixture still looks a little moist, continue for remaining 30 seconds. You may need to experiment with your microwave. Top with remaining teaspoon butter and serve immediately.
Though made from pantry staples, you and your guests would never guess. Rustic, but refined, this meal is company approved.
With a winter storm bearing down on 1/21/22, I invited a dear friend for an early dinner, as Bob was away and snow was starting about 8 p.m. in Eastern Virginia.
I had made the soup a day or so prior, but wanted something to go with. Green peas in the freezer suggested hummus and parsley in the fridge provided freshness. But with no tahini, I perused my newly purged and organized fridge (the previous Saturday’s project) and came up with white miso instead. Never going back!
The soup is simple, but special, courtesy cardamom, smoked paprika, and turmeric. Oh and plant-based parm!
Green Pea Hummus with Miso and Parsley
1 cup cooked fresh or thawed frozen green peas 1/2 cup loosely packed parsley, tender stems included 3 large cloves garlic 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon light miso 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Garnish: 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 teaspoons Everything Bagel Seasoning Accompaniment: bagel chips, crackers, toasts, or fresh raw vegetables
Process together all ingredients except garnishes and accompaniments, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of Everything Bagel seasoning, and serve with accompaniment of your choice.
3 cups vegetable stock 1 small onion, diced 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 to 3 large cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons hummus (I had garlic hummus on hand) 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon turmeric 4 firmly packed cups fresh baby spinach leaves 1 cup shredded plant-based parmesan (I like Follow Your Heart) 1-15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 8 ounces plant-based chick’n (I like Tofurky brand)
In a 2.5 to 3-quart soup pan, heat about 1/2 cup vegetable stock over medium high. Add onion, salt, and pepper, and saute until onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue sauteeing until both garlic and onion are very soft. Add spices and stir until completely combined. Add remaining stock followed by spinach in two halves, stirring until wilted after each. Stir in parmesan, chickpeas, and plant-based chick’n, and continue stirring until cheese is melted, flavors married, and soup is heated through.
Savory Parmesan-Fennel Shortbread make every hour happy!
Few things are better than these tasty rounds–buttery, tangy, and crisp-tender–with a glass of wine or non-alcoholic Proxies (pictured is “Pastiche”). Made by Acid League of teas, fruit juices, vinegars, bitters, herbs and other unexpected ingredients to pair with food, these wine alternatives have an “intoxicating” nose.
A Gift from Your Kitchen
An easy and welcome gift, the Shortbreads pack beautifully inside coffee filter-lined tins which I shared this holiday season with my freelance editors/publishers/clients and other professionals who provide service of inestimable value throughout the year.
On December 27, I contributed a dozen shortbread rounds to a happy hour for two (pictured) at the beautiful home of Angela Phillips. We also enjoyed her air fried brussels sprouts and chestnuts warmed with just a hint of olive oil.
Why Proxies?
Angela lives 8 or so miles away from us and, despite splitting the entire bottle of Proxies, I could drive home safely. These bottles really are “free of alcohol, full of complexity,” but are NOT dealcoholized–and are perfect when you want something beautiful, interesting, and exciting to sip on its own or, especially, with food, but prefer not to imbibe.
The pair of us drank the entire bottle of Pastiche, at only 75 to 100 calories total for each of us. Pastiche is a white wine alternative, made of the following: (FRUIT) Lychee, Pineapple, Peach, Gewurztraminer Grapes; (ACIDITY) Rose Vinegar; (SPICE) Pink Peppercorn, Amchur, Galangal, Clove; and (BODY) Bai Jian White Tea, Oolong Tea, Mosaic Hops. Proxies may remind you a bit of Kombucha but without the assertive fermentation and with many more layered and subtle flavor notes.
2 cups flour 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional) 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1 cup Follow Your Heart or your favorite plant-based brand shredded Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup plant-based butter (I like Myokos), broken into chunks 1/2 cup olive oil (may need slightly more or less)
Place first 7 ingredients in food processor and pulse a few times to break up fennel seeds. Add parmesan and pulse a couple more times. Add butter and pulse to distribute. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil, stopping occasionally, until dough comes together, but is not sticky. It should be fairly firm, like roll-and-cut cookie dough. Form into 3 to 4 logs, approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2″ in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper. Slice rolls into 1/3-inch disks, place 1″ apart on baking sheet, and bake 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Package in airtight containers.
Crispy Everything Bagel Brussels Sprouts with, what else? A plant-based cream cheese dipping sauce with a swirl of Sriracha.
Requiring only 20 to 25 minutes hands-free cookies time, these nuggets are ready in the time it takes to walk one
12 ounces Brussels, halved 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon or so Everything Bagel Seasoning
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together above ingredients, spread into a single layer on a rimmed baking pan, cut side down, and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until crispy and browned. Serve with barely melted plant-based cream cheese (I zap in mic), whisked and swirled with a bit of Sriracha.
Each Christmas, I make gifts for freelance clients and other professionals who have provided services to me during the year. I either package my paternal Mam-ma’s three kinds of Christmas cookies that she perennially made for our family or my latest and greatest Chex Mix in tins from the Dollar Tree (such a steal).
I have developed so many varieties of Chex Mix that picking a favorite would be like choosing a favorite dog. Just search “Chex Mix” here on the Blooning Platter for a mix for every mood.
This year’s iteration was inspired by all the ingredients and flavors of pot pie–even the pie crust, which is perhaps the best part–but also carrots, cirn, onions, potatoes, and peas.
When you whip up a batch–ideal to have in the oven while you are doing other tasks, as it only needs three stirs over the course of an hour–remember to thaw and bake the pie crust pieces first. I remove a crust from its foil pan and thaw in microwave, as collapsing is exactly what you want in order to cut it.
Enjoy this mix for Happy Hour and car trips, as well as gift-giving.
Happy Holidays!
Chick-Un Pot Pie Chex Mix
1/2 cup vegan butter, cut into chunks 1 tablespoons Liquid Aminos vegan Worcestershire, or soy sauce 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning 1 tablespoon ground celery seed 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 vegan pie crust, thawed, cut into small rectangles, and baked at 450 degrees for 10 to 13 minutes or until golden brown 6 ounces (half of 12-ounce box) Corn Chex 8 ounces (2-4 ounce bags) potato sticks or straws 1-7.25 can roasted pecan halves 5 ounces (about half of a 9.9-ounce can) Wasabi peas Approximately 1.5 ounces carrot-flavored & orange-colored chips from bag of veggie snack chips like Good Natured brand Veg-ables (approximately one-third 4.5-ounce bag) 1-6 ounce can French Fried Onions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine butter, Liquid Aminos, and all spices in large roasting pan and place in oven to melt butter. Stir to combine. Gently stir in remaining ingredients, one at a time. Roast for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool, and package as desired in airtight containers.
I continue to upcycle my Thanksgiving Leftovers, first, shaping stuffing into cakes and baking (25 minutes at 350 degrees), then stuffing corn pudding into orange bell pepper halves, baking, and topping with whipped cauliflower and a dollop of cranberry sauce.
For this stack, I gridded the thawed stuffing cakes (they freeze really well) and reprised them this morning. It was the most scrumptious breakfast/brunch, although you could serve it for any meal if you leave off the bourbon maple syrup…but don’t!
In between the cakes, I layered an arugula and butternut squash salad, topping the tree with a drizzle of the syrup, homemade cranberry sauce, a little Follow Your Heart vegan feta, and roasted pepitas.
Corn Pudding Baked in an Orange Bell Pepper at 350 for 25 Minutes
I topped mine with leftover Whipped Cauliflower with Lemon Zest, Cranberry Sauce, and Roasted and Lightly Salted Pepitas. Such a cozy quick meal after a packed day on a chilly night.
