June 10, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Guacamole (Knock-offamole) Quesadillas

Yield: 4 quesadillas

I call my vegan quacamole “Knock-offamole” because it doesn’t contain avocados, not because they aren’t vegan, but because I’m either allergic to them or have developed a food sensitivity. It’s a darn shame, too, because I loved Mom’s “guac” as a kid.

My version, made with creamy fresh green peas, wouldn’t necessarily fool anyone, except in appearance, but it sure is good. And it is perfect in a quesadilla. There is something about the cool, tart and creamy filling contrasted with the crisp buttery tortillas that is perfection on a plate.

4-8 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
1 recipe (approximately 2 cups) Vegan Guacamole (“Knock-Offamole”)
8-8 inch flour tortillas (whole wheat would probably be good, but I haven’t tried them in this recipe)
Garnish: vegan sour cream, grape tomato quarters, lime wedges, and/or fresh cilantro sprigs

Preheat oven to warm. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat a tablespoon or 2 of vegan butter. Spread 4 of the tortillas with about 1/2 cup of the Vegan Guacamole, stopping about 1/2-inch away from the edge. Top each with another tortilla and press gently. Filling should come almost to the edge. Saute quesadillas, one at a time, until golden on the first side, then flip and do the same on the revers. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven until all of the quesadillas are made. Slice in half and overlap, cut in quarters, or leave whole and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, grape tomato quarters, lime wedges, and/or fresh cilantro sprigs.

June 9, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Guacamole (or Vegan Knock-offamole) with Homemade Vegan Flour Tortilla Chips

Yield: approximately 2 cups

There is nothing “unvegan” about traditional guacamole but, unfortunately, I developed either a food sensitivity or an allergy to avocados in my 20s. It was a sad day, as I was born in Texas and loved my mom’s “guac.” But, recently, when I was making my Vegan Pea, Pistachio and Fresh Tarragon Hummus, I was struck by how similar the color and texture of the pureed peas was to mashed avocado.

So, with May peas still in season, I bought a pint at Stoney’s outdoor market, pureed them, and folded in all the traditional quacamole ingredients. I don’t think the resulting dip would fool anyone, but it is really delicious and very pretty with ruby red tomatoes dotting the creamy green puree.

Even if you can eat avocados with no ill effect, I think you’ll enjoy having this recipe in your repertoire for a little something different or when fresh peas are in season. It’s delicious plain and 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

June 6, 2010April 16, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Ginger-Ale Pancakes with Fresh Vegan Peach-Basil-Maple-Ale Chutney

Yield: 8 pancakes

As promised, here are my Vegan Giner-Ale Pancakes with a fresh peach topping. I raided my favorite outdoor market on Saturday, so I was all set to make these this morning. Believe it or not, I had pancakes for breakfast and dinner! In the morning, I tried the chutney uncooked and without the beer and in the evening I gently simmered it with the beer. I loved it both ways, but I think the flavors are better married in the cooked version and the beer adds a delicious layer of flavor. Plus, using beer in the topping means that you don’t have a partial bottle of flat beer leftover.

Fresh Vegan Peach-Basil-Maple-Ale Chutney

2 medium peaches, seeded and medium-finely diced (I leave the skin on for more color and nutrition)
1 cup “ale” (use your favorite ale or beer)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
8 large basil leaves, stacked, rolled, and very thinly sliced to make chiffonade
2 tablespoon natural sugar (or substitute an additional tablespoon of maple syrup)
4 tablespoons maple syrup

Stir together all ingredients in a small or medium saucepan and simmer over medium-high. uncovered, while you make the pancakes or until the juice has reduced.

Vegan Ginger-Ale Pancakes

½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup self-rising flour
2 tablespoons natural or brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or to taste (or 2 to 3 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger)
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup “ale” (basically, the remainder of a 12 ounce bottle after using a cup in the chutney)
1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla, lite or regular, would also be good
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Fresh Vegan Peach-Basil-Maple-Ale Chutney
Sprigs of fresh basil

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, place first 6 dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in ale and soymilk. Whisk together until well combined. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a scant 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook two to three minutes on the first side until you get a nice rise, a few bubbles appear, and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter or oil and pancake batter. Serve each short stack with Fresh Vegan Peach-Basil-Maple-Ale Chutney spooned over the top and a sprig of fresh basil.

May 23, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Creamy Spaghetti Squash and Veggie Potpourri (A Restaurant Redux)

The filling I used to stuff the peppers in my Creamy Spaghetti Squash and Veggie Potpourri is also delicious simply served hot or gently reheated in a ramekin sans peppers.

May 16, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Pea, Pistachio & Fresh Tarragon Hummus

Yield: approximately 6 servings

With our good friends Karen and David coming for dinner Saturday night, I had a lite Greek menu in mind as, though they are not vegans, they are very health-conscious. And I wanted to build the meal around what was fresh at Stoney’s, a local outdoor market. Among lots of other delectable produce were pints of May peas. Processed with a few pistachios, olive oil, lemon juice and some tarragon from our garden, they became a beautiful green hummus-type spread. We enjoyed it with a bowl of mixed olives and some pizza dough wedges. I had two nice balls of frozen homemade dough in the freezer, so I pressed each into a small round, cooked them for 8 minutes, brushed them with olive oil, cooked them for two more minutes and then sprinkled them with coarse sea salt before cutting them into wedges. I made those ahead so that they were room temperature when I served them. This spread is so tasty, though, that Karen said she would have been happy to devour it with a spoon.

2 cups fresh raw green peas, simmered for 15-18 minutes in just enough salted water to cover and drained (or use 2 cups pre-cooked peas)
1/3 cup roasted and lightly salted shelled pistachios
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons walnut or olive oil
juice of one lemon
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Garnish: a few whole or chopped pistachios, a slice of lemon, and/or a sprig of fresh tarragon

Place all ingredients in food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Pulse one more time and scrape into serving bowl. Garnish as desired and served with the bread, toast, crackers or veggie dippers of your choice.

May 16, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Shitake, Cucumber & Herb Salad

Yield: 6-8 servings

The salad for a lite Greek meal we served friends on Saturday night was this cool, crunchy and refreshing rendition. With its fresh herbs from my garden and skin-on cucumber cubes, it is emerald green and as cooling to look at as it is to eat.

1 pint shitake mushrooms, stemmed and the caps thinly sliced
1 cucumber, skin left on, cubed
6 tablespoons walnut or olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup fresh minced herbs, either equal parts or any proportions you choose (I used chives, parsley and the most dill)

Combine vegetables in a shallow medium-large non-reactive bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice an drizzle over veggies. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper. Toss gently and check for seasoning. Cover and chill if not serving immediately. Serve chilled or at nearly room temperature.

Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine, June 2010. Essentially, I made the salad as directed, only I doubled the dressing and herbs and added the cucumber.

May 8, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Cheesy Swiss Chard-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Yield: 4 servings

The produce looked so good in the market today that I loaded up and, realizing that I had probably purchased more than I could cook while it was still at it’s peak, started devising ways to combine the different veggies. This acorn squash and chard dish is even more than the sum of its farm-fresh parts. The sweet squash is an ideal foil for the tangy-salty greens, both of them creamy in their own luscious ways. And the light crunch of buttery bread crumbs is the perfect finishing counterpoint.

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

May 8, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Angel Hair Pasta with Orange Bell Pepper, Kale, Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Basil and Lemon

Yield: 4 Servings

Arriving home late one night this week and virtually starving, I fortunately had some leftover finely chopped kale in the fridge and enough other fresh ingredients and pantry staples to create a beautiful and nutritious dinner on the fly. It was equally as delicious–if not more so–as lunch today. When lots of fresh veggies are used, a little higher-calorie pasta can go a long way. I think angel hair cooks up particularly creamy.

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

May 8, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Fresh Strawberry-Mint Pancakes with Vegan Balsamic-Maple Sryup

Yield: 8 pancakes

Hooray–strawberry season in Eastern Virginia is here! A few of the ingredients in these farm stand-fresh pancakes may sound a little odd, but you’ll just have to trust me: the end result is spectacular. These are not IHOP’s strawberry pancakes. Not even close. Instead, they are healthy, beautiful and sophisticated, but not bizarre.

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup self-rising flour
4 tablespoons self-rising cornmeal (or cornmeal mix)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
pinch garlic powder (you don’t necessarily want to be able to identify the garlic flavor, but rather lend a certain savoriness to the batter)
1 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
approximately 4 fresh mint leaves, stacked, tightly rolled, and thinly sliced to make chiffonade
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Balsamic-Maple Syrup (recipe follows)
Optional Garnishes: sprigs of fresh mint and whole fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to warm. In a small bowl or cup, whisk together soymilk and balsamic vinegar. set aside to curdle, which will happen almost immediately. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, place next 7 dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in soymilk mixture. Whisk together until well combined. Then stir in diced strawberries with a spoon or fork. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until you get a nice rise, a few bubbles appear, and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter and pancake batter. Serve warm with Vegan Balsamic-Maple Syrup, a sprig of fresh mint leaves and a perfect whole strawberry if desired.

Vegan Balsamic-Maple Syrup:
1/2 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
approximately 4 fresh mint leaves, stacked, tightly rolled and thinly sliced to make chiffonade
a few grounds of fresh black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together and heat gently in a saucepan on top of the stove or in the microwave. Two intervals of about 30 seconds in the microwave will do the trick.