Category: Vegan Farmer’s Market

by betsy

Vegan Sesame-Crusted Tofu with Crispy Kale

Serves: 4
I like to build meals around greens and this ultra-clean version is one inspired by seeing lots of recipes for “kale chips.” I call it “Crispy Kale” and serve it as a vegetable rather than as chips, though it is good enough to eat as a snack. Just watch the salt, as it takes a tiny amount when prepared this way; plus, miso is quite salty on its own. Isn’t the kale lovely paired with the white fluffy noodles (or rice) and golden sesame-crusted tofu?
1-2 tablespoons light miso (miso is very salty, but it has great body, so choose your proportion accordingly)

4 tablespoons vegetable stock

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar (unsalted/unseasoned)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

squirt of fresh lemon juice

optional: a pinch of Five Spice Powder (if you want a more Chinese flavor)

1-16 ounce box, extra firm tofu, pressed, drained, and sliced crosswise into 4 equal pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

white sesame seeds

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

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by betsy

Vegan Basil, Mint and Cilantro Pesto (The Trifecta of Pestos)

Pesto is one of those things that you almost can’t mess up. Proportions are inexact, so go by texture and taste. I like to freeze mine in little balls made to use to season soups, stews, pasta and more.

1 bunch basil, rinsed, dried and large stems removed (I used Thai basil)

1 bunch mint, rinsed, dried and large stems removed

1 bunch Thai cilantro, rinsed, dried and large stems removed

1/2 cup nuts (I used cashews, but you could use pistachios, pine nuts, etc.)

olive oil to taste and to desired consistency

a squirt of fresh lemon juice or to taste

coarse sea or kosher salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place first 4 ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. With motor running, stream in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in airtight container in refrigerator or freezer. If you want to freeze it, either freeze in ice cube trays or scoop up small balls and freeze on a waxed or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. When frozen, transfer cubes or balls to zip-lock bags or airtight cartons and return to freezer.
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by betsy

Vegan Broccoli, Grape Tomatoes, White Beans and Whole Wheat Pasta

Yield: 2-3 servings

What a satisfying supper this pretty dish turned out to be. The original recipe called for broccoli rabe and no pasta. Since rabe isn’t always available where I shop, I substituted broccoli florets and, always looking for ways to boost protein in my meals, I added a tiny bit of whole wheat pasta, since it can be a little heavy. Though I love whole wheat pasta for nutritional, taste and texture reasons, a pasta that is whiter in color–like regular bow ties–would create a prettier visual contrast, as the white beans and whole wheat pasta are almost identical in color.








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

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by betsy

Vegan Baked Apples Baklava

Yield: 4 servings

If you love baked apples and baklava (without the honey, of course)–heck, maybe even if you don’t–you will flip over this recipe. It is so warming on a crisp morning or evening and is as good for breakfast as it is for dessert. (It’s not heavy, but it is generously proportioned, so it best follows a meal on the lighter side.) Don’t be tempted to dispense with the sauce, as it adds just the right contrast in texture, temperature and tartness. Similarly, the combination of vegan butter and olive oil is very intentional, as the latter lends an ultra-appealing savory quality to the dish.

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

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by betsy

Vegan Roasted Parsnips and Onions in a Paprika-Spiced Red Wine-Balsamic Glaze

Yield: 2 servings

Happily house-bound because of the beautiful snow, our meals today consisted of what we had on hand. Fortunately, I had two parsnips, the “root” of several favorite new recipes this winter.

You’ll love my latest take on them even if you don’t happen to have truffle oil in the pantry–what a coup, right?

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 parsnips, trimmed, peeled, thick half sliced vertically, and both halves then cut into scant 1/2 inch slices
1 small-medium yellow onion, trimmed, peeled and cut into small wedges
4-6 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
1 teaspoon paprika, divided in half (or to taste)
1 tablespoon medium-dry red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoons truffle oil (or more olive oil or flavored oil of your choice; something compatible with paprika)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour olive oil into a medium roasting pan or a large cast iron skillet (I use mine for everything!). Add parsnips, onion, garlic and salt, and toss well to coat. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir and toss to coat and return to oven to roast for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and add other 1/2 teaspoon of paprika along with remaining ingredients. Stir and toss well to coat for one last time, and return to oven to roast for 5 more minutes or until vegetables are very tender and nicely golden and caramelized. Check for seasoning; adjust if necessary; and serve warm with some greens and the vegan protein of your choice.

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by betsy

Vegan Chicken and Green Beans in Coconut Milk over Vegan Curried Couscous

Yield: 2 servings (easily doubles)

Tonight was cold and I was a little weary, so I craved a warming meal that didn’t require a trip to the grocery store. I decided to make dinner using only what I had on hand in the pantry, fridge and freezer. This desperation dinner turned out to be a meal that I’ll return to again and again. The white chicken strips, onion and coconut milk playing off the bright green beans and the golden-yellow couscous are lovely in their simplicity. Beautiful, fragrant, tasty and healthy, this dish is more than the sum of its parts.

Vegan Chicken and Green Beans in Coconut Milk:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a medium yellow onion, halved and slivered
4 ounces of Meal Starters chicken strips, thawed (you may substitute 4 ounces chicken-flavored seitan or tempeh, the latter recommended by a reader who felt the sweet coconut milk and natural bitterness of the tempeh were tasty complements to each other)
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans
3/4 cup coconut milk (I use lite)
juice of 1/2 of a lime
1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar
coarse sea or kosher salt
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat oil to shimmering. Saute onion, stirring frequently, just until it softens. Add vegan chicken, green beans and coconut milk. Cook, stirring frequently, just until ingredients are warmed through and green beans are bright green and crisp-tender. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer just a minute to to combine flavors. Serve warm over warm couscous (recipe follows).

Vegan Curried Couscous:
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup couscous
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse sea or kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth and scallions to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in couscous and golden raisins. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork while stirring in olive oil, salt, pepper and curry powder.
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by betsy

Vegan Chicken, Mushrooms, Yellow Peppers and Broccoli in Creamy Tarragon-Scented Sauce with Lazy (Wo)man’s Vegan Palmiers

Yield: 4 servings with a side salad (includes two palmiers per serving)

This recipe was my answer to the desire for a warm, comforting meal that tasted decadent, but was actually quite healthy, and that would go together quickly on a frigid Sunday night. Though delicious on its own, the dish seemed to need something else. However, since it was ready to eat when I realized that I wanted something to take it “over the top,” and since I was hungry to boot, the “something else” couldn’t take very long to prepare.

I remembered that I had vegan puff pastry in the freezer and thought about some kind of “bread” sticks, but the dough takes 40 minutes to thaw. So, I wondered what would happen if I thawed it in the microwave. What happens is it sticks together. So, then, out of necessity, I simply left the sheet of dough double folded (like a business letter) as it comes out of the package, sliced it into inch-wide sections and baked them. To my delight, my method resulted in the cutest and world’s easiest palmiers that were ready in little more than 15 minutes! A sprinkling of paprika before baking made them extra-special. And they are the perfect accompaniment to the dish…and to my husband’s steak (ugh).

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

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by betsy

Vegan Lemony Parnsips Scented with Chili and Cumin and Topped with Warm Vegan Rosemary-Cashew Gremolata

Yield: 4 servings

My love affair with parsnips continues with this kicked up version. The gremolata is such a tasty accompaniment, you might want to double the recipe!

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

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by betsy

Vegan Poached Pears with Lemon, Garlic and Cinnamon Topped with Vegan Rosemary-Scented Sauteed Onions

Yield: 6 servings

My cousin, Earl, always sends a box of those beautiful Harry & David pears to my parents and sister at Christmas. They’re as pretty as a box of chocolates–I love the one foil-wrapped pear in the set–or, truthfully, even more so.

This year, when I arrived at my family’s house for our annual holiday visit, I noticed that the pears were ripening quickly, so I decided to poach them.

I opted for a savory, rather than a sweet, dish. Poaching the pears in burgundy wine with lemon, garlic slices, cinnamon sticks and salt and pepper, and topping them with sauteed rosemary-scented onions proved to be the perfect combination: as beautiful and healthful as it is tasty and festive.

Pears poach in markedly different amounts of time depending on their size and degree of ripeness. Start with about 7 minutes on each side, but be prepared to poach them for twice that long if they are very firm.

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

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