July 3, 2011July 12, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Bombay Lentil Sloppy Joes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Here, my Sloppy Joes aren’t so sloppy. I neatened them up a bit by serving them on a rice cracker boat lined with a fresh baby spinach leaf fora little starter or lite lunch. But I served the mixture on whole wheat buns for my AP Students end-of-year dinner. These more traditional “Joes,” with their nod to India, were a hit with these teenagers!

For my presentation here, I particularly like the “Sweet Chili” flavor of Quaker Oats Rice Snacks. That is, I liked them until I discovered the monosodium glutamate in the ingredient list. After a quick scan, I had been delighted that they didn’t contain whey or any other dairy as so many of the “ranch style” and other flavored chips/crackers do. But, when I bought them a second time, a closer read revealed the MSG. Darn! Alas, the “Joe” mixture is delicious on Melba Toast.

But back to the yummy filling: the lentils give it a texture somewhat similar to ground meat–so crumbled tempeh would be a fine substitute–and the flavor is rich and tomato-y like traditional Sloppy Joes, but raisins and spices give the dish warm undertones of India.

Usually when I’m creating a recipe, I am meticulous about writing down the ingredients and precise amounts. However, in this case, I had purchased crushed tomatoes with basil because that’s all Trader Joe’s had, so the flavor was all wrong for what I sought. I started grabbing spices and adding them by the spoonful in order to mask the Italian flavor and punch up the Indian.

The result was so good that I wish I hadn’t been so frantic. At any rate, I remade the recipe for a report and videographer from WAVY TV yesterday when they were here to tape and the results were at least as good, if not better. This time I got the measurements down exactly right. Though inspired by Aarti Sequeira’s Bombay Sloppy Joes, I not only substituted lentils, but used loads of additional spices.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 cloves garlic

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 small mild (or spicy!) chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon paprika + 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or 1 teaspoon of either one)

sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup water

1 cup diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup tomato sauce (I just blended some of the diced tomatoes and juice)

1 pound steamed lentils (I purchase them already steamed at Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

1/4 cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries)

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or agave nectar

1/4 cup very thick coconut milk (like Chaokoh) or soy creamer

Optional (but delish): about 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Accompaniments: 4-6 whole wheat buns, if serving as Sloppy Joes, poppadom if serving as an Indian “tostato,” or crackers/toasts if serving as an appetizer

Optional: small fresh baby spinach leaves to line the cracker before adding the Sloppy Joe mixture

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onions and saute about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and some color is just starting to develop. If you want to caramelize them for deeper color, keep sauteeing for a few more minutes and stirring until a warm caramel-y brown is reached. Add garlic and bell pepper and saute 3 minutes more or until bell pepper is softened. Lower heat if necessary to prevent garlic from scorching. Add ginger and chili pepper and saute another minute or so until pepper is softened. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine well, and saute about 1 more minute for flavors to release. Stir in water, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Heat through, stirring frequently. Stir in lentils followed by pistachios and raisins. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pomegranate molasses and soy creamer just until heated through. Right before serving, stir in optional cilantro. Serve hot over hamburger buns, spooned over a poppadom like a tostato, or in a bowl surrounded by crackers/toasts as a filling protein-rich appetizer.

June 21, 2011June 27, 2011 by betsy

Vegan “Southern” Indian Cilantro-Scented Cardamom-Coconut Cream Blackeyed Peas, Peppers & Spinach

Yield: 4 servings

That title is a mouthful, but since you can’t inhale the intoxicating aroma in our kitchen, I wanted you to be able to imagine what this luscious and colorful amalgamation would smell and taste like just from the title.

The “southern” part has little to do with Southern Indian cuisine, but with my south’ren roots revealed in the inclusion of blackeyed peas instead of a more traditional Indian legume.

In the photo, I served the dish as a starter, ready to spoon into miniature puri (fried bread puffs) at right, and spooned into a puri and garnished–just break through the crisp top crust with your finger or a spoon–at bottom. But I created it to also be served over basmati rice as a main course or a welcome addition to an Indian-inspired buffet.

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup of yellow onion, cut into 1/4 x 1-inch pieces (about 1 medium)

sea salt to taste

1 large red bell pepper, coarsely diced

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1-15.5 ounce can blackeyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1-15 ounce can coconut milk (I don’t use the lite, but rather cut calories elsewhere!)

2 cups, semi-firmly packed fresh baby spinach, finely chopped (I use a food processor)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 Roma tomato, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

optional: 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida

Accompaniments: miniature puri for appetizers (little spheres of puffed bread dough available in Indian markets) or over cooked basmati rice (I like to throw in a cinnamon stick and a few cardamom pods–avoid biting into either)

Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, in sprigs or finely chopped, an/or a few roasted and lightly salted cashews

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat the tablespoon of olive oil to shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for abut 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the onion develops a light brown caramelization. Adjust heat if necessary to prevent scorching. Add the bell pepper and saute for 3 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until garlic and peppers are soft. Stir in the peas followed by the cardamom, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Add the coconut milk, stir well to combine all ingredients, and heat through. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until heated through. Add the cilantro and optional asafoetida, stir to combine, and cook just another minute to allow flavors to combine. Check for seasoning and add additional salt and black pepper if desired. Serve in miniature puri as an appetizer or over basmati rice for a main course. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

June 14, 2011June 15, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Parsnip, Kasha, and Spinach Fritters with Indian Cilantro or Mint Chutney

These uniquely delicious fritters proved worthy of a very special celebration.

Monday night, ten of my beloved Advanced and Advanced Placement (AP) art students gathered for an end-of-year celebratory dinner at my home.

For several years, I have marked the conclusion of each academic year for these classes with an in-school soy yogurt parfait breakfast. This year, though, in light of the publication of my Blooming Platter Cookbook, they requested a vegan dinner party, and I was more than happy to oblige.

For starters, I served these Parsnip, Kasha and Spinach Fritters which received “extra credit” from my discriminating students. Also on the menu were:

Indian Spiced Lentil Sloppy Joe’s (I altered Food Network’s Aarti Sequeira’s Bombay Sloppy Joe recipe quite a bit, substituting steamed lentils for turkey and spicing them up a bit more; I will post when I’ve made the recipe again, and actually written down the ingredients);

Oven-Baked Three-Spice Sweet Potato Fries;

A barley, cous-cous and kasha salad featuring finely diced cucumber, red onion, basil, and lightly sauteed homegrown yellow squash-from one of my student’s garden;

and TFLC Cookies (Tea-Infused Five-Spice Lime & Chocolate Cookies)–stay tuned for this slightly exotic, but simple recipe.

Over dessert, I gave out my annual certificates to the AP students. Each one is specially illustrated and worded to reflect his or her Concentration theme and unique approach to the exploration of that theme. This year, I also gave out gifts that the students had made each other as a last “Creative Challenge.” After drawing a classmate’s name out of a basket, each student was tasked with creating a portrait of that person, i.e. a physical likeness done in the student artist’s own trademark style. Everyone loved their portraits and, as one student said, couldn’t stop looking at herself! At their request, we had an impromptu mini-critique of the artwork around the dining table; the best dinner conversation! The pieces–not to mention the students–are priceless, as you will see (I’ll post a photo soon).

They all agreed that this event should be an annual occurrence, and I concur!

To earn your own high marks for these teen- and teacher-approved fritters, here is the simple recipe:

Vegan Parsnip, Kasha, and Spinach Fritters

Yield: 36

1 cup cooked and cooled Kasha (prepared according to package directions)

1 1/2 cups cooked and cooled parsnip and onion puree (see below)

2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped coarse-fine in the food processor

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch chipotle chili powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional: 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Accompaniment: prepared cilantro and/or mint chutney (I purchase jars of these chutneys in a local Indian market, but any savory chutney with a contrasting color would be delicious and pretty)

Garnish: very thin slices or miniature “spears” of green onion and tiny leaves from a compatible herb (I used Thai basil buds)

Serving suggestion: place each fritter on a fresh baby spinach leaf

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat about 1/2-inch canola oil until a drop of water splattered on top sizzles. Fry generous tablespoons of the mixture (I use a small scoop with a lever), about 9 at a time, for two minutes on each side or until golden brown. Turn with a metal spatula. They may feel slightly stuck on the bottom, but they will loosen easily. Drain on paper towels, keep warm in a low oven, and serve warm or at room temperature accompanied and garnished as desired. The fritters may be made ahead, drained, cooled, covered and reheated, uncovered, for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Parsnip Puree:

3 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced cross-wise into 3/4-inch thick rings

1 small yellow onion, halved, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

2-3 cups unsweetened soymilk

Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place parsnips and onion slices in a large cast-iron skillet. Pour soymilk over almost to cover. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover loosely, and simmer over medium-high heat until parsnips are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Avoid letting all of moisture evaporate. Scrape mixture, including any remaining milk (don’t worry if top surface looks a little “scummy”), into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until almost smooth.

June 9, 2011June 11, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Cheddar “Cheese” Spread with Savory Blackberry Chutney

Pulpy, glistening blackberries…savory bursts of clean, complex flavors…little taste explosions in every mouthful. This chutney is to die for!

In my previous post, I said that my Smoky Vegan “Ricotta” and Green Grape-Spring Onion Salsa became an instant favorite upon creation.

But wait! This one, made the same day, but not tasted on an actual crostini until last night, rivals it–I wouldn’t want to have to pick a #1!

The truth is that I wasn’t sure how I was even gong to use the chutney or, for that matter, that I was going to make a chutney. But I had come home from Stoney’s Farmer’s Market on the weekend with some fresh Pungo blackberries and, not wanting them to spoil as berries tend to do so quickly, I decided to go ahead and use them.

I wasn’t in a dessert mood, and I didn’t want to use them raw, as they were on the tart side. So, when I thought of a chutney, I was excited by the possibilities, but gave myself this kitchen challenge: to see how complex (and delicious!) I could make the flavor without muddying it or masking the taste of the blackberries.

The response to my challenge is this very special chutney. You won’t even believe how amazing it is by itself or on a crostini with my Vegan Cheddar “Cheese” Spread. In fact, dinner last night was a pairing of crostini: these and the ones mentioned above (I’d eaten lots of leafy greens for lunch, so I allowed myself). It was a light meal of beautiful contrasts in colors, flavors and textures. Perfect with a glass of 2009 Green Fin organic white table wine (a new top choice) after a very hot dog walk and a Pilates class. Cheers!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 tablespoon red wine (anything drinkable will do and will only change the flavor slightly)

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon anise seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 pint fresh blackberries

leaves only from a 6-inch piece fresh rosemary

up to 1/3 cup natural sugar (adjust depending on tartness of berries)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Accompaniments: Vegan Cheddar “Cheese” Spread and crackers or toasts, including thinly sliced grilled or toasted bread rounds

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, bring olive oil to shimmering. Add onion and saute a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue sauteeing and stirring for another couple of minutes or until onion and garlic are soft and onion is starting to develop a slight amount of color.

Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20 minutes or until flavors are beautifully combined and the mixture has become pulpy. It will thicken as it cools. Serve chilled or at room temperature with my Vegan Cheddar “Cheese” Spread or your favorite vegan “cheese” on crackers or toasts. It would also be delicious on something like grilled or broiled tempeh “steaks.”

June 8, 2011June 9, 2011 by betsy

Crostini with Smoky Vegan “Ricotta” Spread and Green Grape-Spring Onion Salsa

I am so excited to share this recipe, as it became one of my all-time favorite crostinis immediately upon creation.

My inspired foodie friend, Trish Pfeifer, often serves crunchy-juicy seedless green grapes and smoked almonds as an impromptu appetizer or snack. You can’t believe for how many occasions that combination is perfect, including–odd though it may sound–with coffee on a late Saturday morning.

So, last Sunday, I was craving her pairing, but I wanted to make it a little more of a “dish.” Yet I still wanted it to be ultra-easy, cooling (Sunday was hot and humid), and very pretty.

I make a vegan “cheddar”-pecan spread, so I thought that finely chopped almonds would be nice in something like a ricotta made from an extra-firm tofu base. And I thought that it would be even nicer still if I could toss all of the ingredients in the food processor, pulse a few times, and be done. And I could! Tthe consistency was exactly what I sought.

All that remained was the grape topping. I decided that spring onion would complement, but not overpower, the flavor of the grapes. Wanting the topping to be refreshing and fairly pure in taste, with just a little complexity, I decided to go with just a splash of rice wine vinegar and a bare hint of hot red pepper flakes. The result was exactly what I was after, and the shimmering green-on-green palette with tiny flecks of red looks as refreshing as it tastes.

All I had to use for a base was falafel crackers, and they were delicious, but I have since enjoyed the toppings on Melba toasts. Thinly sliced rounds of toasted or grilled bread would be perfect too.

After I spread a little of the vegan “ricotta” on the cracker and topped it with a mound of the salsa, I had one last flash of inspiration. The day before, I had been at T.J. Maxx where I was seduced by a box of exquisite irregularly-shaped chunks of pearly Pink Himalayan salt. (It is such smart merchandising to create the checkout line from display shelves lined with such goodies!) So, a hint of the salt hand-grated over the top, using my microplane grater, was the piece de resistance.

Even without the luxury of Pink Himalayan salt, you will adore this dish.

Smoky Vegan “Ricotta” Spread

8 ounces extra-firm tofu

1 large clove garlic

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

2 teaspoons light miso

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/3 cup smoked almonds

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

optional: 1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse a few times until almonds are finely chopped and all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Check for seasoning, and adjust as necessary.

Green Grape and Spring Onion Salsa

1/2 cup quartered seedless green grapes

1/4 cup thinly sliced spring onion (use about half of the white and half of the green parts)

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

pinch sea salt

2 pinches natural sugar

pinch of red pepper flakes

In a small non-reactive bowl, combine all ingredients. Check for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Accompaniments:

Crackers, Melba toasts, or small, thinly-sliced grilled or toasted bread rounds

Optional: a finishing salt like Pink Himalayan

To serve, spread each cracker or toast with some of the “ricotta,” and top it with a small mound of the salsa. If desired, grate a little Pink Himalayan or another finishing salt over the top. Serve immediately. Store any leftover “ricotta” and salsa separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

May 1, 2011May 9, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Red Lentil-Pistachio Spread Will Bloom on Your Platter

On the Saturday night before Easter, my husband and I enjoyed a Middle Eastern dinner at the new Azar’s at Hilltop in VA Beach. I savored my lamb-less Lenten, I mean, Lentil Soup, redolent of cardamom, with a wine I had never sampled before, but certainly will again: Ksara Vineyard’s Blanc-de-Blancs from Lebanon. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Chardonnay, this wine is its own breed: fruity, nutty and…hmm…is “spicy” the right world? It tastes delectably “different.” Try it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — From The Blooming Platter Cookbook

And I happened to think that it would be lovely with my Red Lentil-Pistachio Spread, one of the Starters in The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes. Have you bought your copy yet so that you can get cookin’ on this and some 175 other delectable recipes (if I do say so myself)? The book is available on-line at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble or, locally, at Prince Books, Norfolk’s favorite bookstore.

Remember, you can also enter for three chance to win a copy through the new blog created by my publisher, Vegan Heritage Press. Don’t delay, though, as that contest ends tonight at midnight.

You can also head over to VegWeb’s blog, register, and enter for still another separate chance to win a copy. That give-away ends May 3.

Good luck!

April 26, 2011May 9, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Beet Muhummara Gets Shout-Out on Veg Kitchen with Nava Atlas

Nava Atlas, the prolific and talented cookbook author, blogger, writer, and artist recently featured one of the recipes from my new cookbook The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes as her Recipe of the Week which I shared on Facebook.

But, she also posted my popular Beet Muhummara on her website, Veg Kitchen with Nava Atlas.

I invite you to check it out as a prelude to the 150 or so fresh and colorful recipes you’ll find in my book.

Thanks, Nava!

March 11, 2011August 20, 2017 by betsy

Vegan Cheddar “Cheese” Spread

Yield: approximately 2 1/2 cups

I finally figured out what was missing from many of the homemade vegan “cheese” recipes I had tried…though they were very tasty, they lacked what, for lack of a better term, I’ll call that aged cheesy “funk.”

One day, musing about what would give my vegan “cheese” that extra little “somethin’-somethin’,” beer popped into my mind. It seemed to me that the fermentation would evoke something of that “aged” quality. And I was right! At least to my palate. Plus, together, the beer or wine and miso paste impart that elusive umami.

Beer is perfect, but if your husband (or wife, significant other, parent, sibling, or any cohabitant with an opposable thumb) drinks the last brew, white wine is quite delicious too. (I’ve used Orvietto Classico. )

I love this spread on crackers–low fat Triscuits in the photo–as an after school snack with a glass of soymilk or, depending on the day, a glass of wine. But it’s also delicious dolloped on a baked potato or on my Vegan Skillet Chili, a recipe I promise to post very soon. Simply thin it with additional soymilk or beer/wine and heat to create more of a sauce.

Ridiculously easy to make , this spread looks so homey and inviting in a little crock. Sometimes I like to share half the batch as a casual gift. And sometimes I like to hoard it all for myself.

2 cups lightly salted and roasted cashew halves or pieces (soaked for a few hours IF desired)

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup soymilk

1/2 cup beer or non-alcoholic beer (or white wine)

2 tablespoons any kind of miso paste (the darker the color, the deeper the flavor)

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process for a few minutes or until quite smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Store in an airtight container or crock in the refrigerator.

Note: According to Ali Tadayon in “Beware the Beer: Is Yours Vegan,” found in the Vegan Mainstream e-newsletter, not all beer is vegan, as it may include albium (derived from animal blood), isinglass (derived from the swim bladders of fish), gelatin, charcoal, pepsin, lactose, and even insects. She recommends the following vegan-approved beers: Amstel, Corona, Heineken, New Belgium Brewery, Pabst Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and Tecate over these non-vegan ones: Castle Rock Brewery, Guinness, Newcastle Brown Ale, and Red Stripe.

February 28, 2011February 28, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Rosemary-Garlic Breadsticks

Yield: 8 breadsticks

Last Tuesday, I came down with a ferocious bug, the same one to which everyone, adults and children, has been succumbing in our area. You know the one: fever, body aches, congestion, cough, yaddi, yaddi.

For two days, all I wanted to eat was canned No-Chicken Noodle soup. I never ate dinner on Friday night because all I wanted by then, inexplicably, was buttery, garlicky breadsticks with marinara sauce, and the restaurant where my husband went for carry-out, didn’t have them.

On Saturday morning, I woke up still craving them and, having started taking some prescription meds the night before, was feeling slightly better. So, since most restaurants overdo breadsticks in that classically American “Supersize Me” style anyway, I decided to make my own. They were still generous in size, but somewhat more modestly proportioned. And boy-oh-boy were they worth waiting for!

For my special dough recipe (and about 175 more!), I encourage you to preorder my brand new cookbook, The Blooming Platter: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes which will be available in May, though you can certainly use your favorite dough.

Here’s what I did to my recipe which calls for about 2 cups of flour:

To the dry ingredients, add:

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano extra sea salt

Make the dough according to directions, letting it rise, etc. While the dough rises, make Rosemary-Garlic Oil so that it can be steeping:

1/3 cup olive oil

1 large clove crushed garlic several 4 to 5-inch sprigs of rosemary (I used quite brown sprigs from my frostbitten rosemary shrub, so it was more like using dried than fresh)

Pinch of sea salt plus more for sprinkling on breadsticks

Combine all ingredients and set aside. Preheat the oven to 45o degrees. Beginning with a ball of dough, pat and shape it into an 8-inch square on an oiled work surface. Cut it into 8 equal strips, twist each strip into a spiral, and place them on an oiled baking stone or sheet. Brush them liberally with Rosemary-Garlic Oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 11 minutes or until tender and golden, brush with more oil, sprinkle with more salt, and serve warm.