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.

Middle Eastern Chick’n-Chickpea-Spinach-and Parm Soup

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.

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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.

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A gift from one of my student’s mom’s of fresh South Carolina peaches resulted in the need to do something with the last 2 very ripe ones.

I lead a fairly busy life and I am all about unfussy, but pretty, healthy, and inspiring food these days. So I simply pitted the peaches, popped them into them into my small food processor skin and all, and blended them into a thick, pulpy jam.

That’s it. They were so sweet, with a perfect texture, that they needed nothing else. I thought about putting the jam on pancakes, but I wasn’t in the mood for that much flour.

To make the quesadilla, I simply folded a large tortilla–I like the 50 calorie high fiber variety–into quartets around 1 slice of vegan smoked guda and leftover caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms. I browned it in a nonstick skillet, and topped it with the peach jam and a garnish of halced grape tomatoes and a slice of cucumber.

I served crispy green peas on the side and sprinkled a hint of sea salt over it all because we southerners know that salt makes fruit even sweeter and because it looks so pretty.

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I am incredibly proud of this simple, tender, tasty dough. I wanted to make a savory galette, but I didn’t want a jillion calories from the dough. The flour is not the problem; it’s the oil or shortening in most pastry.

Press-in doughs can get away with less oil–and I make a delicious one that is shared here on The Blooming Platter–but I wanted to make a galette which meant that the dough had to be pliable enough to fold over itself without cracking. My solution was to add to 1/2 cup all purpose flour the following:1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 2 tablespoons water–to make a vegan “egg” for structure–and only one tablespoon olive oil plus 1 tablespoon nondairy milk. That’s it…easy as pie. 😀

Almost Oil-Free Pastry Dough

Yield: 1 serving (easily multiplies)

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal whisked together in a small cup with 2 tablespoons water and set aside for a couple minutes

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon nondairy milk (I use soymilk)

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Knead a few times until dough comes together in a ball. Press or roll out into a circle using the smallest amount of additional flour on pastry board and rolling pin as possible.

To make the gallette dough in the photo, I simply oiled a baking stone and pressed the dough out to the desired thickness in a rough circle, filled it, and folded the edges over the filling,, pleating them as I went.

The galette filling in the photo, if interested, is just 1/4 medium yellow onion, diced, and 2 to 3 big handfuls baby spinach sauteed in 2 tablespoons water with a little sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and Greek seasoning. Into that, I melted 1 tablespoon vegan cream cheese. After filling and shaping the galette, I topped it with roasted strips of bell peppers and baked at 450ﾟ for about 12 to 13 minutes. When I removed it from the oven, I sprinkled with Everything Bagel seasoning before serving.

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Yield: 2 dozen cubes

My crunchy oil-free batter is gluten-free because it requires no flour. That’s right: I mix GF nutritional yeast with dill pickle juice and spices before battering and baking these crispy cubes. I love my spice blend, but substitute other spices to suit your mood. Crunchy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside, these nuggets are nutritious and delicious on their own, but even more mouth-watering with a dipping sauce.

16 ounces extra-firm tofu (wrap in paper towel, place on a rack over a bowl, weight–I place the carton on top with a heavy canned good inside–and drain while making batter)

1/2 cup dill pickle juice

1 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon each of the following spices (or to taste; feel free to change proportions or substitute): celery seed, ground coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, tumeric

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dipping Sauce: equal parts vegan mayo and sweet chili sauce, whisked together (I use Walton Farms no-calorie mayo from Harris Teeter)

Optional garnish: sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray baking sheet liberally with non-stick spray. In tofu carton or small bowl, whisk together dill pickle juice, nutritional yeast, and spices. Unweight and unwrap tofu and blot again with paper towel. Slice in half horizontally and then into quarters the long way and thirds the short way, making 2 tiers of 12 cubes. Working with a few cubes at a time, place in batter, turn to coat, and place about 1.5 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and crispy. Avoid burning around edges. Serve immediately with dipping sauce, garnished if desired.

Note: in the photo, I decorated the top of the sauce with 3 dots of Sriracha

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Yield: approximately artichoke heart quarters

Sometimes weeks go by without our enjoying anything from the fryer. But I am a pretty clean eater, so when the craving does strike, usually once a week, I indulge.

What makes these tempura battered artichoke heart quarters “the blooming best” is the seasoning in the batter, which can be changed up a multitude of ways to suit your fancy. I started to use Zataar and Greek seasoning with a lemon-aioli dipping sauce, but changed my mind when Bob got out the Sweet Chili Sauce for his shrimp tacos.

The key to batter that sticks is very dry, not just drained, quartered artichoke hearts. Making sure they are quarteted insures lots of surface area and the best batter-to-choke ratio. Other than that, there are no tricks other than a well-seasoned–but not over-seasoned–batter and hot, clean oil.

They are nice served with a vinegary cucumber, red onion, and fresh mint or basil salad to cteate a little balance by virtue of the acidic, herby sweetness.

1-15.5 ounce can artichoke heart quarters, rinsed, drained in a strainer, then on a plate with paper towel, changing it when soaked, for about 40 minutes

1/2 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup vegan beer (find a list at Barnivore)

Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Heat oil to 375 degrees in deep fryer or large cast iron skillet. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, seasonings, and beer to make a smooth batter. Dip about 5 artichoke hearts into batter, one at a time, and place directly into hot oil. Cook 2 or 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and repeat with remaining hearts. Serve right away with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons vegan mayo (I use a prepared no- calorie mayo or my Blooming Platter Mayo at 10-calories/tablespoon)

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients, taste, and adjust as desired.

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Yield: approximately 6 to 8 appetizer servings

This may be one of the tastiest, lightest, and healthiest throw-together appetizers ever.

When ee invited a friend over tonight at the last minute for an outdoor socially- distanced happy hour, I realized I had nothing to serve her other than some green grapes and cherry tomatoes that I had previously roasted.

But I also had some extra firm tofu on hand and thought I could make two kinds of baked Mediterranean “cheese,” topping one with the roasted green grapes and one with the roasted cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives.

But then I had nothing to serve these “cheeses” on. Our friend asked what she could bring and I initially said bread or crackers and then retracted that because I remembered I had an eggplant and thought roasted slices of it would make a perfect crostini base. Indeed!

If you prefer more of a spread, just process the tofu in the food processor before dividing it. For that matter, if you prefer other flavors, mix in spices and herbs and top these “cheeses” anyway you choose. Roasted garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, along with perhaps some pine nuts, sound especially delicious to me.

Baked Mediterranean “Cheese” Appetizer Two Ways with Eggplant Crostini

14 to 16 ounces extra firm tofu
2 very large clothes garlic, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Zataar
1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning
1 teaspoon kalamata olive juice
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
Approximately 12 roasted green grapes (I spray them lightly with non-stick cooking spray–though you may use olive oil–season with salt and pepper, and roast in one layer on a baking sheet at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes)
Approximately 12 roasted cherry tomatoes (roasted as above only with sprigs of whole thyme laid over the top)
Approximately 8 kalamata olives
Accompaniment: roasted or grilled eggplant slices (directions follow), crusty bread, or crackers

Preheat oven to 400°. Oil 2 approximately 6-inch oven safe dishes. Crumble half of tofu into one and half into the other. Add one minced garlic clove to each bowl followed by 1 teaspoon each olive oil. Into one of the bowls, add Zataar, and into the other add Greek seasoning along with kalamata olive juice. Season both with sea salt and black pepper. Top the Zataar flavored “cheese” with roasted green grapes and sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning. Top the Greek- flavored “cheese” with the roasted tomatoes and thyme sprigs. Baked for approximately 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve on roasted or grilled eggplant slices, crusty bread, or crackers.

Roasted Eggplant Crostini

Wash a 6 or so inch eggplant, trim off ends, halve lengthwise, and slice into 1/2-in thick slices. Place slices on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and lightly spray tops. (You may use olive oil if you prefer.) Season with sea salt and roast for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

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Yield: 4 to 6 main dish servings

You will want this sweet-spicy-salty-savory Korean-inspired potato salad over and over with one caveat: only if you don’t use a bland white potato. 

When I first developed this recipe, I used cute baby white potatoes.  But they simply didn’t bring enough to this flavorful party.  After that, it was Yukon golds or sweet potatoes.  Perfection!

If you prefer not to use seitan, add another half-pound potatoes.  Add if you are calorie counting, substitute cauliflower florets for all.

For a fun, over-the-top serving suggestion, rim martini glasses with Gochujang and roll in finely chopped peanuts.  Note that I was starving and didn’t chop the nuts finely, but it would look more professional if I had.

1.5 pounds Yukon gold or sweet potatoes, cubed (you may substitute cauliflower florets)
1 medium red onion, diced (approximately 1/2 cup or more)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/3 to 1/2 cup vegan mayo
1 tablespoon gochujang
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon grated ginger (I use the paste in a squeeze bottle)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 orange bell pepper, diced (may substitute red or yellow)
2 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal
8 ounces flavorful seitan (I use Tofurky Sesame-Garlic)
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnishes: lightly roasted and salted peanuts, diagonally sliced green onion, and Everything Bagel Seasoning (or black and white sesame seeds)

Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with salted water to 1-inch above potatoes. Bring water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook about 8 minutes, partially covered.  Potatoes should be fork tender. 

Meanwhile, place red onion and vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, gochujang, relish, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil, and refrigerate.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain and add to bowl with onion and vinegar.  Gently toss well to coat.  Cool for 30 to 45 minutes until barely warm. Stir in bell pepper, green onions, and seitan. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over, and toss gently to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with peanuts, green onions, and Everything Bagel Seasoning.  Or refrigerate, covered, for several hours, then garnish and serve.

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