Category: Vegan Appetizers

by betsy

Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe #4: Vegan Indian Cauliflower with Black Mustard Seeds

Note: I inadvertently skipped yesterday in my Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe countdown, so I will make up for it by posting two today.  Sorry about that!

 

Yield: 4 servings

Okay, I admit it: Indian dishes aren’t the first thing that pops into my mind when I think of the Superbowl.

But someone recently singled out this photo from my album of Blooming Platter Cookbook winter dishes on Facebook and I was reminded of how pretty it is.  But I was also reminded of a Christmas Eve party that my family has attended for many years.  Annually on the menu is a huge bowl of marinated cauliflower, rings of fresh onion, black olives and shrimp (which I avoid) served with toothpicks.  Everyone always enjoyed it and it was fun to eat.

So it occurred to me, though it’s not your standard Superbowl fare, that a big platter of my Indian Cauliflower set out with toothpicks would easily serve and satisfy a crowd.  It is fragrant, simple and delicious. Try using orange cauliflower when making the recipe; it tastes the same as white and it looks beautiful with the black mustard seeds (see photo).

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped onion

1 head white or orange cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon vegan butter

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

 

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Add the cauliflower, coriander, turmeric, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water and simmer until the cauliflower is tender and most of the water is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes.

3. To serve, transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter, drizzle with the mustard seed mixture and sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Serve hot (or room temperature).

 

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #3: Vegan Fat-Free Spinach-Three Bean Dip Included in FatFree Vegan Kitchen’s Superbowl Starting Line-Up

A big and fat-free thank you to Susan Voisin, the queen of delicious fat-free vegan food, for including The Blooming Platter and one of my recipes in her tasty fat-free Superbowl starting line-up at the Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen.

Just follow this link for her list of great ideas and links for guilt-free snacking, including my Vegan Fat-Free Spinach-Three Bean Dip.

I can think of no better endorsement for this scrumptious dip than that my National Art Honor Society teenagers ask for it by name and devour it at our meetings!

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #2: Vegan Buffalo Wings with Creamy Blue “Cheez” Dressing

The SuperBowl wouldn’t be the SuperBowl without “wings.”

But make sure the only animal in your celebration is the pigskin on the field with my authentic-tasting Vegan Buffalo Wings.  You’ll love their chewy texture and their finger-lickin’ sauce.   They are absolutely habit-forming with my Creamy Blue “Cheez” Sauce and crunchy celery sticks.

Oh, there is one more animal that we hope will be part of the big game:  Huff, our Great Dane.  Read all about his chance at national stardom in the Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” commercial competition here.

For 150 other seasonal recipes for every occasion, I invite you to peruse The Blooming Platter Cookbook.

 

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #1: Vegan Smoked Paprika and Garlic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (+ a Product Recommendation for Calphalon’s Stainless Steel Roasting Pan)

Previously, I posted my favorite stove top recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds, but this kicked-up oven-roasted version is just right when you need to serve a crowd, make a large batch for gift-giving or, in my case, both.

Every day from now until the SuperBowl (aka Supper Bowl) next Sunday, February 5, I am delighted to post a vegan recipe ideal for snacking during the big game.  Some will be from my Blooming Platter Cookbook, some will be new, and some, like this one, will have been previously posted, but worth highlighting perhaps with a ‘coupla changes.

We’re feeling particularly “bowl protective” about this year’s game because, as some of you know, our dog, Huff the Great Dane, co-stars in a locally-produced commercial by our friend, Jonathan Friedman, that earned a Top Five Finalist status in the Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” competition!  TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE to make “Man’s Best Friend” a Top Two Finalist, thereby earning it air time during the bowl game.  (Click here to vote.)

We abandoned plans for a huge bash when we learned that Frito-Lay would not be announcing the winners, even to some of their own employees.  Rather, everyone just has to watch and see.  Jonathan and Matt, his brother and assistant director, will be watching from the Frito Lay sky box on the 50 yard line!  So, just in case our boy doesn’t win, we decided to have just a few close friends over for a potluck.  And these seeds will be perfect for healthy snacking.

But, these addicting pepitas are also serving another purpose:  the busy winter holiday season came and went without my preparing a gift from my kitchen as I do every year for my freelance clients.  So, with two weeks of grueling exams over last Friday–grueling for teachers AND students–this was the weekend I promised myself I’d get them made for delivery early in the week as more of a New Year’s gift.

Before I share the recipe, though, I want to put in a plug for the world’s best roasting pan: Calphalon’s Stainless Steel Roasting Pan.  See what I have to say here if interested.

Vegan Smoked Paprika and Garlic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Yield; 6 pounds

This recipe is easily cut to one-third or two-thirds.

Generous 1 tablespoon of olive oil

6 tablespoons vegan butter (my choice is Earth Balance)

1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

6 pounds raw pepitas or pumpkin seeds (I purchase Trader Joe’s brand in 2-pound bags)

Plenty of sea salt to bring out all the delicious flavors

6 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Coat a large (16 x 13.5″) roasting pan with the olive oil, add butter, and place the pan in a cold oven.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and allow the  butter to melt during the preheat.  Mix together the garlic powder and smoked paprika.  Remove the pan from the oven, add the seeds, the spice mixture, and a sprinkling of sea salt.  Roast the pepitas for 25 minutes total, removing the pan from the oven and stirring well in 5 minute intervals.  I recommend adding a pinch of salt and tasting at each stage, building up the layers of perfectly salted goodness to your preferred level so that you don’t over-do it.  After 15 minutes, add the nutritional yeast, stir well, and return the pan to the oven for the remaining 10 minutes, remembering to stir after 5.  The pepitas should be light golden brown.  Remove the pan from the oven, place it on a rack, and allow to cool.  Store the pumpkin seeds tightly covered at room temperature.  If you accidentally let the seeds get a little more roasted than you intended, pour them onto a baking sheet to cool, so that the residual heat from the pan does not continue to cook them.

Note, if you bake a smaller batch, you might need to adjust the cooking time down, as they will likely cook more quickly since the layer of seeds will be thinner, unless you use a smaller roasting pan.  My seeds were about  1-inch deep.

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by betsy

The Blooming Platter Cookbook Sneak Preview: Apricot-Studded Date-Walnut Spread Topped with Cucumber Slices for Open-Face Sandwiches or Crackers

Yield: 4 servings

Last Saturday, I had the distinct honor of delivering a program on The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes (TBPC) for an education sorority of which I’m a member: the Alpha Rho chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.  Because of my schedule over the last year, I have not been able to be an active member, so it felt very good to be back in the fold.  And the 35 or so members in attendance were so generous with their praise and purchase of books.

The 9-11 a.m. time frame of the meeting dictated brunch-type offerings, but ones that were along the lines of “pick up” food and that didn’t need to be served hot, as the meeting was held in the library of the school where several of us teach.  Though the space is filled with natural daylight, it has no kitchen.

It’s my pleasure to share the menu in the next few posts starting with this sneak preview recipe from TBPC.  In the cookbook, I suggest serving it as an open-face sandwich on that ultra-thin, dense and perfectly square Danish pumpernickel bread.  But for the meeting, I sliced the bread in half to make “fingers,” and toasted it for a few minutes on each side at 350 degrees.  That way, I could serve the bread as an accompaniment to a dish of the spread and a separate one of cucumber slices, and not need to prepare a lot of finger sandwiches in advance.

Fresh and pretty, this sandwich would also be lovely for afternoon tea, though it is a perfectly filling lunch when lighter fare is in order. A “schmear” of the luscious ginger and clove-scented spread plus one slice of cucumber also tops a cracker just about perfectly.  And both the spread and cucumbers on a toasted bagel take the quick breakfast concept to a new level.

14 ounces firm tofu, drained and pressed

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1 medium (8-ounce) cucumber, thinly sliced Sea salt

8 slices Danish-style pumpernickel bread

In a food processor, combine the tofu, lemon juice, ginger, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, cloves, salt and pepper to taste, and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in dates, walnuts, and apricots. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Spread the mixture evenly onto the bread slices, top each with the cucumber slices, and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately, two slices per serving.

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by betsy

One Green Planet features Blooming Platter Cookbook Recipe: Vegan Black Eyed Pea Cakes with Sundried Tomato Tartar Sauce

Hedge your bets for good fortune–and certainly good health–in 2012 by eating your black eyed peas the Blooming Platter way throughout the month of January and beyond.

Follow this link to my recipe for Vegan Black Eyed Pea Cakes with Sundried Tomato Tartar Sauce from The Blooming Platter (Vegan) Cookbook on One Green Planet.

Thanks OGP and Happy New Year all year!

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by betsy

The Blooming Platter Cookbook’s Vegan Sweet Potato Latkes with Chutney-Sour Cream and Curried Onion-Apple-White Bean Topping Published on One Green Planet

With Hanukkah and other winter holidays just around the corner, I was thrilled that One Green Planet (OGP) published my latkes recipe from The Blooming Platter Cookbook (TBPC) to which I added a couple of tasty toppings to make them more of a tapas-style meal.

Consider them dressed up for the season!

Find the recipe and a little about their inspiration here.

Thanks OGP for making our holidays and our world just a little greener!

To purchase TBPC, just click on the title in RED above.

 

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by betsy

Restaurant Redux: Ruth’s Chris Tempura Onion Ring Cups with “Creamed” Kale

Okay, I know I have some explaining to do…Ruth’s Chris Steak House?

Well, you see, after we went to the movies one night this past December, my husband Joe and I headed over to a wine bar we like, only to find it was closed for a private holiday party.  Not wanting to drive anywhere else, we considered our options and chose nearby Ruth’s Chris, opting to dine in their attractive bar with its dark, gleamy and very appealing “men’s club” aesthetic.

Unfortunately, my husband isn’t a vegan–or even a vegetarian–so ordering was no problem for him.  However, for me, I think there were only two choices on the menu: tempura-battered onion rings and asparagus.  But since seasonal cooking and eating is my thing, I just couldn’t do asparagus in December.  Fortunately, I’d had a healthy snack before the movie, so we chose to split the onion rings which the bartender confirmed were vegan (a soda water and flour batter) after checking with the kitchen.

I have never seen such colossal rings in my life.  A mere  five came in an order, but I could only eat two and Joe one.  Because they were so substantial, I couldn’t bear not to bring the last two home.  But I wasn’t in the mood for a couple of honkin’ onion rings the next day, so I decided to do a “Restaurant Redux” inspired by my husband’s side dish of creamed spinach which I remember loving at  Ruth’s Chris during my vegetarian days in Nashville.

The rings are so tall that they make almost a cup form.  And the farmer’s market had gorgeous heads of kale that they had just cut, so I decided to fill the onion ring cups with “Creamed” Kale instead of spinach.  With half a can of leftover white beans in the fridge, I decided to make the “cream” out of the beans, nutritional yeast, and unsweetened soy milk.

The result put less emphasis on the cream and more on the greens, but was still silky, luscious and reminiscent of the Ruth’s Chris specialty. I simply heated the onion ring cups, filled them with the “Creamed” Kale, and served them surrounded by Ruth’s Chris’s special sauce which has a tangy sweet-hot Asian flare.

Even if you don’t happen to have onion rings-on-steroids on-hand, the filling is delicious on its own.

With this recipe, you can enjoy a little taste of Ruth’s Chris without all the death and dying.

Yield: 4 servings

4 Ruth’s Chris onion rings (they’re about 2 inches wide/tall!)

1/2 can (a scant cup) white beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk

Pinch sea salt

Pinch grated nutmeg (preferably fresh-grated)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups lightly packed finely chopped kale (I remove the stems and then use a food processor for this task)

Pinch sea salt

Pinch garlic powder

Approximately 4 tablespoons Ruth’s Chris special Asian sauce served with their Tempura Onion Rings (or a prepared Asian chili sauce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place onion rings on a terracotta stone or an oiled or Silpat-lined baking sheet and heat for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine beans, nutritional yeast, soy milk, salt, and nutmeg in a food processor and process until smooth.  Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add kale and a pinch of salt and garlic powder, and saute for about 5 minutes or until tender, but still bright green.  Reduce heat to medium and stir in bean mixture.  Heat, stirring continually, for about a minute or until “cream” is heated through.  Spoon kale immediately into the onion ring cups and serve with the sauce drizzled around the onion rings and over the kale.   Note:  I actually used this much filling for two onion rings because that’s all I had, but it would fill four of them generously.

For 150+ additional seasonal recipes for someone on your holiday list, I invite you to consider The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

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by betsy

Vegan Smoky Nooch-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds–THE Best Snack with a Glass of Wine or to Give as a Holiday or Hostess Gift

It would be beyond selfish not to share my super-simple, absolutely addicting new snack with you asap!

You see, I LOVE popcorn–lightly buttered (with vegan Earth Balance)–and sprinkled with nutritional yeast (nooch).  Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.  You know nooch, yes?  It has a rich, cheesy flavor that can take on almost mushroomy notes in, say, a pot pie.  A favorite recipe I make starts with a roux made of toasted flour, nooch and vegetable oil, and its aroma while cooking…oh my-heavenly.  But I digress.

One day, craving a big healthy infusion of nooch, but not having any popcorn on hand, my eyes lit on Trader Joe’s roasted and lightly salted  pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in the pantry.  A mere 5 minutes later, I was munching on the most delicious snack to enjoy with a glass of white wine.  They are also delish sprinkled on a whole range of other dishes.  And poured up into little jars, they make very festive gifts.

Can I just tell you how many times I have burned my mouth on this snack because I simply couldn’t wait?  Sad, I know.  But I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, only with a little more self-control!

Yield: 1 cup

1 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

*1 cup roasted and lightly salted pepitas (I use Trader Joe’s brand)

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (Red Star brand contains B12)

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Pinch sea salt

Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, and toast, stirring constantly, for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until nutritional yeast coating is golden and lightly toasted.  The buttery yeast may smoke a little while toasting, so just watch the color and avoid overcooking.  Remove the pan from the heat, stir in just a pinch of salt, and pour into a small bowl to cool.

Note:  Feel free to try it with pumpkin seeds removed from a fresh pumpkin, but I love the green color and narrow size of the variety Trader Joe’s sells and have never seen them in any pumpkin I have ever purchased.  Since Trader’s brand is already roasted, you’ll probably need to toast tfresh dried pumpkin seeds longer than my recipe calls for.

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