July 27, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Calzones

Yield: 4 servings

Get in the “zone”…the “calzone“! Until recently, I had never made calzones, and any one I had ever ordered in a restaurant was doughy and heavy. However, I recently had a fresh veggie calzone at zPizza. The veggies were perfectly al dente, the vegan mozzarella quite good, and the crust surprisingly thin, light and crisp-tender. Knowing it could be done, I decided to try making one using my trusty pizza dough recipe reputed to be California Pizza Kitchen’s. I loved the results and think you will too.

Pizza dough is so ridiculously easy and quick to make (most of the time is hands free rising time) that I can think of few reasons to purchase it. I spent years intimidated by the prospect of “killing” the yeast with water that was too warm or not activating it with water that was too cool. “Quick Rise” or “Rapid Rise” yeast removes that concern.

Note that, while I use fresh herbs in most recipes, I used dried in this case because of the high cooking temperature. If you like a gooey filling, feel free to substitute shredded vegan mozzarella for my “cheeze“. For caloric and economic reasons, I like to make my own which, granted, would not fool anyone into thinking it is mozzarella, but I still like it very much.

Though it as delicious as is, you should consider this recipe also as a springboard to your own tasty creations by mixing and matching ingredients of your choice such as artichokes, olives and even vegan sausage, or some less traditional choices. Get creative and please share your winning combinations!

For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

June 28, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Caramelized Onion, Poached Pear, Bleu "Cheez" and Walnut Pizza

Yield: two 8-9″ pizzas

I created this classic pizza by special request from my foodie pal Anne who felt that the combination of pear and caramelized onions in renditions she had tasted was too sweet, never mind the little challenge of vegan blue “cheez.” Plus, the perfect crust was eluding her.

By poaching the pears in wine and lemon juice and by choosing a white onion (with a little more bite than yellow or red) and adding a little balsamic vinegar to it as it cooked, I toned down the sweetness factor just enough. I also topped the pizza with a mini-salad of mache (nice nutty flavor) tossed with a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice and olive oil. That also subdued the sweetness, in addition to being a lovely contrast in color and texture.

I had an inspiration for the blue “cheez” that worked beautifully. I am a big fan of my very slightly adapted version of Jo Stepaniak’s blue “cheez” dressing and had some in my fridge. But I wanted the top of the pizza to look pretty with little melty hunks on it rather than a drizzled sauce. So, I also had some pre-cubed super-firm (or extra-firm) tofu in the fridge. It occurred to me that I could use my fingers to gently mash the tofu–just so the pieces weren’t so geometric and uniform–with a little of the dressing. I tried it and presto!, I had blue “cheez.” For the crust, I used a California Pizza Kitchen recipe I found online. It was intended for ultra-thin crust pizzas, so I just omitted the rolling step to keep it a little thicker and it was a winner.

I thought the end result was pizza perfection and so did my meat-and-potatoes-minus-the-potatoes husband!

Please don’t be deterred by the seeming length of the instructions. It all goes quickly, as you can prepare virtually all of it simultaneously–you can even make the bleu “cheez” dressing in advance–and it is SO worth it. Certainly, if you want to forgo poaching the pears and opt for a commercial crust, do. I can’t vouch for the results, but if time is a big factor, why not try it?

Rosemary Olive Oil for Brushing on Pizza:

1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 stalks of fresh rosemary

Pour olive oil into a small cup or bowl. Gently crush leaves of rosemary with your fingers and add to the olive oil. Set it aside on the counter until ready to use. The longer it steeps, the more intense the rosemary flavor will be.

Creamy Blue “Cheez” Dressing

½ cup sesame tahini
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic or garlic powder
1 teaspoon light miso
¼ teaspoon pepper (I use white to prevent black flecks)
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes or 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

In a medium bowl or food processor, beat together first 6 ingredients until creamy and smooth. Vigorously beat in lemon juice and vinegar until well combined. Stir in parsley or add a very small rinsed and drained bunch to the food processor and pulse a few times to mince and distribute. Keeps 10-14 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving.

Dressing Source: slightly adapted from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak (the only changes I made were to omit all of the water, as it made the dressing far too thin, and add more parsley).

CPK’s Pizza Dough:

1 teaspoon “quick rise” or “rapid rise” yeast
1 3/4 cup unbleached bread or all-purpose flour (I used all-purpose)
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon granulated or raw sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons tepid water (“quick rise” yeast does not need the traditional soak in warm water to activate it)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

You may use a stand mixer (fitted with a paddle rather than a hook for this small amount of dough), a food processor or your hands. If you use a processor, use a plastic rather than a metal blade, as the latter will cut through the gluten strands preventing a proper rise. Place all dry ingredients in the appropriate bowl. Add water and 1 teaspoon olive oil and beat for 2-3 minutes on medium-low until dough is smooth and elastic; or process just until the dough forms a smooth ball; or knead 5 minutes with oiled hands or until smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky. Do not overbeat/over-knead. Pour remaining teaspoon of olive oil into a mixing bowl and spread with your fingers. Place ball of dough into the bowl and move it around to coat the underside and then flip over and do the same to the other side. Cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk about 2 hours. While dough rises, prepare other ingredients.

Note: If you have regular active dry yeast, dissolve it first in the water before adding to the dry ingredients. The water should be 105-110 degrees; any hotter will kill the yeast and prevent rising.

Caramelized Onions

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 very large white onion, sliced into slivers
kosher salt to taste
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add onion and some salt and saute, stirring frequently, until onions begin to turn golden. You may need to lower the heat to just above medium to prevent scorching. Add another tablespoon of oil and check for salt. Continue to saute until onions darken a bit more and oil is mostly absorbed. Add a tablespoon of water and continue cooking until onions turn amber. Add balsamic vinegar and cook until onions are a deep amber. Remove to a bowl to cool. While onions caramelize, poach pears.

Poached Pears:

2 cups Gewurtraminer (a slightly sweet white wine; a reisling might work nicely too)
4 1/4-1/2″ thick slices of lemon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon white or white wine vinegar
kosher salt to taste
1 large Asian pear (I used one almost the size of a small grapefruit. If using a smaller or different kind of pear, you will need two to make a total of 16 slices)

Combine all ingredients except pear in a large cast iron skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Half pear lengthwise, core it and slice each half into approximately 1/3″ thick wedges. Place into poaching liquid in one layer and cook for about 8 minutes. Turn slices and poach for another 8 minutes just until tender. Adjust temperature as needed to keep liquid at a slow simmer. Remove pear slices to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.

Shape Dough:

Before beginning, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place two pizza stones inside and heat them for approximately 30 minutes. Divide dough in half, shape into a ball, dust lightly with flour, and place in the center of a lightly oiled piece of foil about 10 inches square, shiny side down. Beginning in the center and working your way to the edges, use your fingertips to gently press and stretch dough into an 8-9″ circle with a slightly raised rim. Repeat with other half of dough. While stones are heating, make Blue “Cheez” Hunks and have walnuts at the ready.

To Make Blue “Cheez” Hunks:

1/2 cup super-firm or extra-firm tofu cubes
1 scant tablespoon Creamy Blue “Cheez” Dressing

With your fingers, gently break up tofu and lightly mash together with dressing just so that hunks lose their geometric and uniform appearance.

Topping:

3-4 tablespoons walnut pieces

Assemble and Bake Pizzas:

Spread a few tablespoons of the remaining dressing on each crust to make a very thin layer, leaving a one-half inch margin. Top evenly with caramelized onions, using half of the onions on each pizza, followed by 8 pear slices per pizza in a pinwheel design. Dot each pizza with half of the blue “cheez” hunks and sprinkle with half of the walnut pieces. Using oven mitts, remove pizza stones from the oven. Carefully slide each pizza, foil and all, onto its pizza stone. Return to the oven and bake approximately 11 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, open the door, slide racks out, and carefully brush the edges of the crusts with the rosemary olive oil and dot over pizzas, especially over the walnuts. While pizzas bake, make mache salad (below). When crust is just golden, remove pizzas from oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then slide off of foil onto serving platters, using a spatula to assist, if needed. Place a little mound of mache salad in the center of each pie and serve warm.

Mache Salad

2 small handfuls mache greens
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil

Toss together gently and place half of the mixture in the center of each pizza.

June 21, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Buffalo Wings with Creamy Blue "Cheez" Dressing and Celery Sticks

Yield: 12 wings

The result of a request from a cooking student and now pal, Anne Frerichs, this recipe will make you think you’ve fallen off the vegan wagon. The result of cobbling together recipes from vegan divas, Sarah Kramer and Jo Stepaniak, along with one from Americanfoods.com, this dish may well be voted MVP: Most Valuable Party Food, but it is great for dinner or a snack too. The boneless wings are quickly formed from simple homemade seitan or “wheat meat” before being simmered in a mock chicken stock, coated, pan-fried and tossed with the stir-together Buffalo sauce which claims to be the authentic recipe from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Televised football game or not, you will score big when you serve these wings with tangy faux bleu “cheez” dressing and crunchy celery sticks. PLEASE don’t be deterred by what looks like a lengthy prep process. While the seitan simmers for about an hour in the stock, you can prepare the wing sauce and the bleu “cheez” dressing, both of which just stir together, and cut the celery.

approximately 4 celery sticks, rinsed, trimmed and cut into 2-3” lengths (wrap and store in refrigerator)

Chicken Mock Stock

2 cups water
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon celery seed

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and set aside while you make the wings.

Basic Wings (Seitan or “Wheat Meat”)

1 cup instant vital wheat gluten flour
1 cup water

In a medium bowl, stir together wheat gluten and water until completely combined. Knead for about 3 minutes (many recipes say 5 minutes, but I think the extra minutes toughen the product). Shape the seitan into a short baguette (about 5 inches long). Cut in half lengthwise and then in half again crosswise. Cut or pull each quarter into 3 roughly equal pieces. Bring stock to a boil. Stretch each “wing” a little before placing carefully into stock. Reduce heat to a very slow simmer and cover pot with lid. Let simmer for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes (or whenever you think of it), until broth has almost completely reduced. If it doesn’t, no worries. (Pieces will expand, but shrink back down.) Use immediately or store in the refrigerator (for up to 6 days) or the freezer (for up to 6 months). For a chewier texture once you have simmered the seitan, follow the directions below for fried chicken before tossing with the Buffalo sauce. Alternatively, you may bake the wings at 350 degrees in a lightly oiled baking dish for 30 minutes before tossing with sauce. Serve wings slightly warm or at room temperature with celery sticks and Creamy Blue Cheez Dressing.

Source: La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer

Jay-Lo’s Fried Chicken

¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup unsweetened soy milk
1 recipe chicken-flavored seitan
1/8” of canola oil

In a shallow dish, stir together the dry ingredients. Set aside. Pour milk into a small bowl and set aside. Dip wings into flour, then dip in milk, and then into the flour again. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, fry the wings in about 1/4 inch of oil, turning once, until well-browned on both sides (this will take a few minutes on each side). Meanwhile, prepare Buffalo sauce. When chicken is browned, toss with sauce.

Source: La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer

Almost Authentic Buffalo Wing Sauce

6 tablespoons Earth Balance (if not using a salted vegan butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt)
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar (may be too much tang; you decide)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or Bragg’s Amino Acids
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
6 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce (preferably Frank’s brand)

In a small saucepan over medium heat–or in a bowl in the microwave–melt butter. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Sauce will thicken and coat wings perfectly as it cools to room temperature or slightly above.

Note: I think the sauce is plenty fiery without the cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce. Also, the faux blue “cheese” is very tangy, so you may prefer to omit the vinegar in the wing sauce lest the whole dish be too acidic.
Source: adapted from Americanfoods.com (claims to be the authentic sauce from Buffalo’s Anchor Bar)

Creamy Blue Cheez Dressing

½ cup sesame tahini
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic or garlic powder
1 teaspoon light miso
¼ teaspoon pepper (use white to prevent black flecks)
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes or 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

Source: slightly adapted from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak (the only changes I made were to omit all of the water, as it made the dressing far too thin, and add more parsley).

May 20, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Smoked Almond and Scallion "Cheese" Spread

Yield: approximately 3 1/2 cups

This recipe is a “two-fer,” as my white bean “cheese” spread is the delectable base. The original recipe, a favorite dating from my vegetarian days, was made with grated cheddar, mayo, chopped smoked almonds, sliced scallions and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Thankfully, this crowd-pleaser was a cinch to veganize. Serve with raw vegetables, toasted baguette slices, crackers or even in a baked white or sweet potato. The photo depicts dollops of the spread on strips of red bell pepper, each one nestled into its own stainless steel Asian spoon rest. My friend Sheila loved them.

White Bean “Cheese”

1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 ounces firm silken tofu
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 generous tablespoons cashews (I use lightly salted and roasted)
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons miso (light or dark, your preference)
optional: 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (for a more golden color)
up to 4 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk for a softer spread

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until the desired consistency is achieved. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The above is delicious alone or in other preparations, but to make the Smoked Almond and Scallion spread, add the following and combine well using a large spoon or spatula:

1 cup smoked almonds, coarsely or finely chopped in a food processor
4 large green onions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper to taste (don’t omit, as the hint of pepper is integral to the flavor of this spread)

May 19, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan "Cheese," Caramelized Onion and Fresh Spinach Quesadillas

Yield: approximately 2 1/2 cups of “cheese” spread

This recipe is a “two-fer,” as it includes both my white bean “cheese” and directions for making one of my favorite quesadillas.

Vegan block cheeses are available, but I’ve yet to find one I particularly care for other than a passable feta. So, thanks to inspiration from Jo Stepaniak’s The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with a variety of vegetables, beans, nutritional yeast, miso and other ingredients to create spreads that have a deep cheesy flavor, a nice consistency, and can often be substituted for grated block cheese. Because this particular one is made with beans, I like it especially well in quesadillas.

For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

April 30, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Yield: enough “cheese” for approximately 8 sandwiches

Merci33, this one’s for you, you grilled cheese virgin…
Have no fears, this recipe does not recommend slicing vegan block cheese (you call that cheese?).
Nope, it gets its yummy creaminess from the same “sauce” I created for my mac-n-cheese, as it’s very thick. I’m reprinting it here as a filling so it’s at your fingertips. I love these sandwiches with any kind of pickles, natch, but also sliced tomatoes, grapes and a glass of unsweetened soy milk.

Cheese Filling:
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 of a large red bell pepper, cut into large cubes
6 ounces firm Silken tofu, drained
1 cup cooked carrots
2 generous tablespoons cashews
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon miso (dark or light)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sweet or smoky Paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk
salt and pepper to taste

To make 2 sandwiches:
1 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
4 slices of your favorite bread (I like pre-sliced country whole wheat)
approximately 4 tablespoons of cheese or enough to make a nice layer of filling in each sandwich (refrigerate remainder in an airtight container)

To make filling, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add pepper hunks and saute until slightly browned in some places. Combine peppers with remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth and creamy.

To make sandwiches, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread a nice layer of cheese filling almost to edges of two slices of bread. Top with remaining slices. Melt half the tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Place sandwiches into the sizzling butter and cook approximately 2 minutes. Add remaining half tablespoon of butter (it will melt quickly), flip sandwiches and cook approximately 2 minutes on the second side. Serve hot.

April 27, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Macaroni-and-Cheese

Yield: 4 Servings

The key to delicious macaroni and cheese is in the sauce. Vegan cheese sauces come in many permutations. Jo Stepaniak’s The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook contains many scrumptious varieties, each with a slightly different flavor and texture profile. Some are essentially white sauces (made with soy milk and water plus flour or kuzu) to which the likes of nutritional yeast, miso, nuts and more are added to yield a rich cheesy flavor. Others get their body from pureed veggies or white beans. And I suppose, you could also melt grated vegan block cheese in a white sauce (that is, if you could get it to melt!). The one I’ve created, inspired by Stepaniak, combines veggies with firm silken tofu and other goodies for a luscious and robust sauce that is thick, creamy and golden. Plus it is packed with both protein and vitamins.

Pasta:
water
salt (enough to make the cooking water taste like the ocean)
8 ounces pasta (I used whole wheat rotini in the photograph)

Sauce:
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 of a large red bell pepper, cut into large cubes
6 ounces firm Silken tofu, drained
1 cup cooked carrots
2 generous tablespoons cashews
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon miso (dark or light)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sweet or smoky Paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk or pasta water
salt and pepper to taste

Optional Topping:
1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (or whatever crumbs you prefer)

Inclusions:
Whatever strikes your fancy, from sauteed mushrooms to cooked green peas to diced sun-dried tomatoes. (In the photo, I served the peas on the side and as a garnish.)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in pasta, reduce heat if necessary to simmer the pasta, and cover with a lid slightly ajar. Cook until al dente. Drain and combine with sauce (plus any optional inclusions) and top with crumbs if desired.

To make sauce, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add pepper hunks and saute until slightly browned in some places. While the peppers cook, make optional topping. I prefer to toast the crumbs on top of the stove and sprinkle over the dish so as not to dry out the macaroni and cheese. Simply heat the oil over medium-high in a skillet, stir in the bread crumbs, and continue stirring frequently until crumbs are golden brown.

Meanwhile, finish the sauce by combining peppers with remaining sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth and creamy.

March 30, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Fondue

Fondue doesn’t have to mean “fon-don’t” for vegans. See how in this feature I wrote for The Virginian-Pilot (be forewarned that not all of the recipes are vegan):