If this week finds you firing up the oven for some last minute holiday baking, as it has me (Vegan Red Velvet Shortcake Cookies anyone?), I recommend that you try homemade vegan palm oil-free “Buttah” created by my new friend-across-the-miles and fellow Vegan Heritage Press cookbook author, Bryanna Clark Grogan (World Vegan Feast and others).
It cooks up and bakes up beautifully! Heck, it even freezes well. So make a double batch and freeze half. Find the back story, the eco-rationale, and the recipe HERE, on Bry’s blog.
I am preparing tins of the aforementioned cookies (so pretty with a dark chocolate drizzle and sugar pearls) and Vegan Smoked Paprika and Garlic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (with Nutritional Yeast) for students, a couple of friends, and my freelance clients. The Pepitas, especially, should come with a warning! A recipient of the first batch on Saturday night texted me a photo Sunday morning of him eating them by the spoonful saying, “It’s all over but the shouting now!”
On a more serious note…Sunday night, I made dinner and a tin of the Pepitas for a good friend who, sadly, is battling stage 3 breast cancer and has been advised against soy since her cancer is estrogen positive. (This is somewhat controversial in medical and health circles, but she is following her doctor’s advice for now.) Though there is a soy-free Earth Balance vegan butter, I didn’t have any, so I made the recipe with olive oil instead of butter and bumped up the amount of spices and nutritional yeast. Delicious! So, if you or anyone you know is avoiding soy, know that olive oil is a more than respectable substitute.
Vegan Indian Saag Dip from The Blooming Platter Cookbook
Are you in need of accessible, but creative holiday recipes that you won’t find anywhere else? If so–and who isn’t!–look no further than The Blooming Platter Cookbook.
My12th Annual Christmas, Chanukah, Curry & Cakes party is this Wednesday and I plan to pull out my copy of The Blooming Platter Cookbook, make my menu and shopping list this weekend, and begin the preparations for this beloved gathering.
I used to host the party as a vegan curry buffet dinner with gifts for about 20 dear friends. But last year, I changed it to a “Swap” with vegan curried hors d’oeuvres conducive to browsing. It was such a hit, that I decided to host a Swap again this year.
Click HERE for a fun look at last year’s party, including the menu and a description of my foolproof approach to hosting this type of event where guests bring unused or gently used home & garden items, clothing, accessories, and art to swap with each other. Ours even ended up benefiting charity, not only through the few leftover items I donated, but through cash that guests used to purchase items when their tokens ran out!
I may have mentioned before that I am an accidental DIY columnist for the Virginian-Pilot. (Do you remember the book and move, The “Accidental Tourist?)
Don’t get me wrong: I love conceiving of each month’s project and sharing it with readers. It’s just that I am not the crafty type at all. So my rule to myself is that I will only present ideas–and I’ve been writing this column for well over a year–that I would not be embarrassed to have in our home or to give as a gift. So far so good.
This month’s is one of my favorites.
Essentially, I spray-painted a plastic ceiling medallion from Home Depot silver using an inexpensive paint that bonds to plastic.
Then, using a white paint pen, I painted white dots on each of the beads that create the relief border in order to complement the white polka dots in the narrow orange ribbon.
And finally, I made and tied together two bows. The charcoal gray one was made out of wired ribbon. I tied the bow so that there was one short and one long tail and I knotted these tails together–concealing the knot behind the bow–to make a loop from which to suspend the wreath from an over-the-door style wreath hanger. Easy-peasy!
The whole enterprise, including hanger, cost about $47. But, I have lots of silver paint leftover, in addition to the paint pen, some of the orange and white polka dot ribbon, and the reusable wreath hanger.
If, like me, you favor a minimalist aesthetic, then this may be the wreath for you. If, on the other hand, you are a fan of over-the-top holiday decorations, you could start with this basic idea and then embellish to your heart’s content using ornaments and an adhesive that will withstand the elements if you plan to hang it outdoors.
My holiday mantra is: “Simplify without sacrificing.” But yours should be whatever you want!
Whether you are continuing your holiday shopping from Black Friday and Cyber Monday or just getting started, I would like to humbly suggest–with no pressure at all–that The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes might make a perfect gift for the plant-powered person in your life!
With “Four Seasons of YUM!” as someone once said, it really is the gift that will give all year… for many years. Each chapter of appetizers, sandwiches, soups and much more is sub-divided into the four seasons with beautiful icons in the top corner of the pages, so it is a cinch to find delicious and nutritious dishes for every meal of the day regardless of the month of the year.
Beautiful things can bloom on your platter even in the coldest winter months, say:
White Bean and Pesto Tart
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Pear, Walnut and “Blue Cheese” Sandwiches
Sage-Scented Fettuccine with Butternut Squash
Burgundy Poached Pears with Rosemary-Scented Onions
Pear-Rum Cupcakes with Tea-infused Buttercream Frosting
Grits and Greens with Mushroom Gravy
I would love to see you support your local bookseller, but Amazon is running sale…If you live in the local area, I am happy to meet up with you to personalize your book. But if you live far away, I am happy to personalize and sign a custom-designed bookplate and mail it to you or the book recipient.
Thank you for your support of The Blooming Platter; here’s wishing you and yours a lovely start to the holiday season!
My mother always made a cherry pie on President’s Day as a tribute to George Washington and the myth, now thought to be apocryphal, of him chopping down a cherry tree. So, I had been thinking that I wanted to create some kind of cherry pie-inspired dish, but I wasn’t sure what.
But then, last week on NPR, I learned of a new exhibition of Martha Washington’s kitchen opening at Mount Vernon. And in the report, they happened to mention her hoecakes being one of “GW’s” favorite recipes. Field hands are reported to have cooked them on the back of a hoe or shovel over an open fire, hence the name.
Essentially, they are a pancake made with half cornmeal–I use self-rising cornmeal since I don’t use any egg–and half flour with melted butter in the batter. Evidently, President Washington ate them every morning with more melted butter and honey drizzled over, as if they need more butter! I veganized a recipe I found online and made them as small “silver dollar” versions so that they could be served as appetizers or tapas. I also added a pinch of sea salt to offset the sugar nicely.
Joe and I served as judged for Hampton Roads Magazine’s Platinum Plate Awards (what a fun thing to do together!) and so were comped a pair of tickets to the annual Strolling Supper Party last night at the Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center. The winning restaurants set up stations and provided tapas size servings of some of their specialties. I love eating that way so I had tapas on my mind. As an aside, the only restaurants that prepared anything vegan were the two Indian establishments, and what they served was delicious: a tiny portion of lentil soup with one plump organic crouton and a cold chick pea and lentil dish topped with pineapple, mango, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, and a sauce they left off because it contained yogurt. It was DIVINE even without the sauce.
Back to the hoecakes: I didn’t stop with just the hoecakes because I wanted to somehow include my mother’s cherry pie tradition in my new tradition. Since fresh cherries are hardly available in February, she always used canned cherries or even cherry pie filling and we always loved her pies with their homemade crust. But, being a seasonal cook, I couldn’t bring myself to use canned cherries, so when I chose dried ones, I decided to take them in a savory direction and make a chutney.
I think the end result is a fitting tribute to George and Mom. Happy President’s Day!
Start chutney first and set aside:
Savory Dried Cherry and Walnut Chutney
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/3 cup red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or walnut pieces
2 tablespoons maple syrup (note: you may use all maple syrup or all natural sugar)
1 tablespoon natural sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, but I love the richness it adds)
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Red pepper flakes to taste (start with about 1/4 teaspoon)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons red wine (I used a Vicious Petite Sirah–someone brought it to a party, probably because it had a dog on the label, but it’s good and spicy!)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Zest of 1/2 of a large naval orange
2 tablespoons minced dill
In a large cast iron skillet placed over medium-high, heat the olive oil to shimmering. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper and continue sauteeing and stirring for another 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute, stirring, for another minute; avoid letting the garlic brown, so reduce heat if necessary. Add all remaining ingredients except orange zest and dill, and simmer, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking, for approximately 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium if necessary and add additional wine, 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary to keep mixture moist and pulpy. Stir in zest and dill, and serve warm or at room temperature atop hoecakes, toasted bread, crackers, etc. Dolloped on soup? Use your imagination!
Martha Washington’s Veganized Hoecakes
Yield: 16 hoecakes
1 cup yellow self-rising cornmeal
1 cup wholewheat or white whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine if that’s what you have)
1/4 cup natural sugar (you may omit, but I think a little sugar is nice for balance)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup vegan butter, melted (I use Earth Balance)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk (use plain if that’s what you have, but definitely omit the sugar)
Preheat the oven to low. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add melted butter and soymilk. Using a fork, whisk the dry and wet ingredients together until well combined. A few lumps are fine. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat about a tablespoon of vegan butter. Fry hoecakes, about 4 at a time, using a generous tablespoon of batter. Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side until a light golden brown, adjusting heat as necessary. Keep warm in the oven while you make the remaining 3 batches. For each batch, melt a tablespoon of butter in the skillet before you add the batter. Serve hoecakes with a dollop of the Savory Dried Cherry and Walnut Chutney. Note: the hoecakes are delicious plain and/or with a drizzle of maple syrup. But the chutney dresses them up and makes them extra special.
Photo Note: my hoecakes are perched on a plate atop a pot holder given to me by my good friend Becky Bump and made by our mutual friend, the incredibly talented Tammy Deane, who calls this line made from recycled or “upcycled” fabrics, sECOnd hand.
Well, if our dog, Huff’s, national Superbowl celebrity hadn’t overshadowed almost all else, I would have made these for our Superbowl party last Sunday and posted the recipe as part of my “Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe” countdown during the week leading up to the big event.
But alas, I didn’t make them until Monday night to take to my AP art students’ critique on Tuesday. We call them Critique Treats. However, I also had Valentine’s Day in mind.
These confections are as nutritious and delicious as they are beautiful. And though each one looks like a precious gem, they are super-simple to make. Another of their best features is their texture contrasts: plump chewy dried apricots, silken dark chocolate and crunchy wheat berry flake and flaxseed cereal coating.
This recipe–which is more of a procedure than a true recipe–was inspired by a gift ofUncle Sam Toasted “Original” Whole Wheat Berry Flakes and Flaxseed Cereal from Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree, who also does some online marketing for Attune Foods. When she asked if I’d be interested in reviewing a couple of cereals, and invited me to choose which ones I wanted, she happened to mention that my choices were good “recipe cereals.” So that got me thinking in terms of what I could do with the cereal besides eat it.
Though eat it I did. I put a little in my mouth and closed my eyes to try to get in “tune” with its distinctive flavor. I thought I detected the pleasantly subtle taste of barley malt, checked the box and, sure enough, there it was in the very short list of wholesome ingredients. Otherwise, Uncle Sam is deeply nutty in flavor. It just tastes wholesome, with pleasant texture contrasts.
So, next I poured a little unsweetened soymilk over it and tasted it before doctoring it up in any way. I decided that–and this admittedly sounds odd–it would be tasty with a sprinkling of both nutritional yeast and natural sugar to create the same sort of savory-sweet appeal of Kettle Corn. I loved it. Be advised, though, that, even without the nutritional yeast and sugar, Uncle Sam’s is calorie dense. I recommend measuring out the cereal so as not too meat too much. Because it is so healthy and tasty–10 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein with less than 1 gram of sugar per serving–it would be very easy to go overboard.
Not being much of a cereal eater–I get a little carried away with it in the house and don’t know when to stop eating–I opted for making the treats mentioned above. Still thinking in terms of dried apricots and nuts from my morning hiking in Back Bay Wildlife Refuge/False Cape described in a previous post, and with a bag of vegan chocolate morsels in the pantry, I decided to dip the apricots halfway into the melted chocolate and then roll them in the cereal. The resulting color contrast of shimmering translucent orange and dark ebony brown chocolate studded with lighter brown flecks was just beautiful.
Vegan Chocolate -Dipped Dried Apricots with Crunchy Coating
Yield: 24 confections
24 plump dried apricots
12 ounces vegan dark chocolate (you won’t need this much, but I like the melted chocolate to be deep so that dipping is easy)
approximately 1/2 cup Uncle Sam’s cereal
Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper and set aside. in a small microwave safe mixing bowl or a 1 quart saucepan set over a double boiler, gently melt chocolate. While chocolate is melting, pour cereal into a small bowl. Holding each apricot between your thumb and forefinger, dip halfway up in the melted chocolate, gently roll in the cereal, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Store in the refrigerator between layers of waxed or parchment paper in an airtight container, but allow to come to room temperature before serving.
If you live in or near Washington, D.C.–or are lucky enough to visit our nation’s capital and one of my favorite cities (it never seems the same twice!)–put Restaurant Nora on your dining to-do list.
For the last two years, we’ve traveled to D.C. with different couples to ring in the New Year. This year we went with our good pals, Jonell and Scott Walthall, staying at theW Hotel again this year. It is hip and stylish and ideally located between the Washington Mall (NOT a shopping mall!) and the White House.
In trying to choose the perfect spot for a New Year’s Eve dinner, I recommended Nora’s in Dupont Circle, the first restaurant to be certified organic in the U.S. But my connection to the restaurant goes even deeper. I first learned of it years ago when my good friend, Anne Wolcott, shared Nora’s recipe for Chocolate Carrot Cake that had been published in a culinary magazine.
Anne had it made for her wedding cake and shared it with me, requesting it at some point later for her birthday. At the time, chocolate and carrots sounded perfectly odd together–a forced pairing that didn’t seem necessary or even desirable. However, when I was developing recipes for The Blooming Platter Cookbook–whose focus is seasonal–and was in need of a spring dessert, I decided to veganize and adapt the original vegetarian recipe and see what I thought. I adored it! And I hope you will. The recipe follows at the end of this post.
Back to Restaurant Nora…I asked Jonell if she would mind doing a little investigating to see if it would be appealing to the three omnivores in our party, as I didn’t want to speak for them. She discovered it to be an optimum choice, offering a 5 course omnivorous prefix meal AND a 5 course vegan prefix meal. The only difference between the two–besides the obvious–was that the omnis had several choices for all but the first course and I only had one. But one was all I needed. Each course was perfection!
The meal was light, but plenty filling, full of flavor, stunningly presented, and timed impeccably for an ideal rhythm and flow throughout the evening, lasting about two hours and 45 minutes from start to finish. Plus, the restaurant itself is so warm and inviting. The modern-with-traditional-roots appearance of the Amish and Mennonite quilts that hang on the exposed brick dining room walls embody one of my favorite aspects of Nora’s: a fresh take on classics.
Following are photos of each course (I apologize for the poor light quality), ending with my Chocolate Carrot Cake recipe. But first, here is our party in the lobby of the W ready to hail a cab to Nora’s. My stunning orange dress came from Zara’s that day (on sale!), purchased because Jonell and I had both packed long-sleeved black dresses, black tights, and black ankle boots. No way was I going out dressed as the Bobbsie Twins! My necklace and earrings are from Terri Lindelow’s “Cluster” series.
Jonell & Scott Walthall with Betsy & Joe DiJulio1st Course: winter squash and wild mushroom terrine
1) The first course for all of us was this diminutive but flavorful triangular slice of winter squash and wild mushroom terrine.
2nd course: hearts of palm and mango salad
2) My second course was a shaved hearts of palm and mango salad with pomegranate seeds and a citrusy dressing. (Hearts of palm always remind me of my father; he adores them and we usually put a tin of them in his stocking , but the socks he requested took up most of the space this year.) I have never been served hearts of palm shaved and it was a really nice way to enjoy them.
3rd Course: roasted beet and fruit salad
3) Up next was this shimmering landscape of roasted beets with fresh fruit: juicy and simultaneously earthy and bright. It was almost to beautiful to eat. Almost.
4th Course: vegetable risotto with truffle shavings
4) The most filling of the dishes was, of course, my entree. Still, it wasn’t too much: a creamy and flavorful vegetable risotto with decadent truffle shavings over the top.
5th Course: trio of fresh fruit sorbets
5) For dessert, hot tea plus a trio of fresh fruit sorbets and a cookie called a “Cat’s Tongue.
I love sorbet and it was the ideal ending to this multi-course meal: refreshing and light. But sometimes we vegans want something even more decadent for dessert. If you feel the same, I hope you will enjoy this sneak preview from The Blooming Platter Cookbook:
Vegan Chocolate Carrot Cake from The Blooming Platter Cookbook
Vegan Chocolate Carrot Cake
Yield: 8 servings
When my friend Anne Wolcott raved about the chocolate carrot cake she served at her wedding, “mouth watering” was not the first thought that came to mind. I adore both chocolate and fresh spring carrots, but I didn’t think they could be happily married. However, Nora Pouillon of the eponymous Restaurant Nora in Washington, D.C., knew exactly what she was doing as culinary match-maker. Her cake inspired my vegan version.
Cake:
1 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons natural sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup walnut oil or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
Ganache:
9 ounces vegan semi-sweet chocolate
chips
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
Garnish:
Halved or chopped pecans or walnuts
1. Cake: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy milk and vinegar. Set aside to curdle, whisking a couple of times. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the soy milk mixture, walnut oil, and vanilla. Stir until all ingredients are well combined and no lumps remain. Stir in the carrots.
3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the side and then invert onto the rack to cool completely, covered with a kitchen towel. Transfer to a serving platter.
4. Ganache: In a double-boiler, heat the chocolate chips until melted, stirring frequently until smooth. Alternatively, you may heat them in a microwave-safe bowl at 20 to 30 second intervals in the microwave, whisking after each. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly whisk in the sour cream.
5. To assemble: Frost the top of the cake with the ganache, allowing some to cascade over the edges. Garnish with pecans or walnuts.
Today’s post is a toast to all of you faithful Blooming Platterists. May your generosity and support be returned to you many times over in the coming year and beyond!
This “recipe” embodies much of what I wish for my culinary life in 2012: exquisite beauty and indulgent flavors along with ordinary moments made extraordinary with very little fuss.
Not really a recipe, but just a simple method, I “invented” it while sipping Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) before dinner on the patio of one of our favorite restaurants: Terrapin. (Despite the “fishy” name, they prepare exquisite vegan food.)
On each table was a diminutive pot of fresh rosemary. On a whim, I pinched off a little stalk and dropped it into my glass. Not only was the faintly piney aroma and very subtle shift in flavor absolutely irresistible and seductive. But the way the tiny bubbles clustered around each of the rosemary fronds and flickered in the candlelight was sheer magic.
Move over Guy Fieri! Your “Triple D” has nothing on our “Quadruple C”!
Plus, no animals are harmed in the making of “Christmas, Chanukah, Curry & Cakes”–unlike “Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives”!–my 11th annual all-girls vegan holiday party.
The Brief History
Every year, on the second Wednesday in December for the last decade, 20 of my “tribe” have gathered at Joe’s and my home for a curry buffet dinner and special cakes, cookies or other confections. The party is beloved of all and it is a very special treat for me to feed my nearest and dearest a beautiful and nutritious veg meal (well, the desserts are beautiful if not terribly nutritious), and gift them with ornaments, picture frames or, one year, miniature cookbooks.
The Swap
But, this year, for some reason, I wanted to change it up a bit. I especially wanted to host a “Swap.” You know about swaps, yes? All of the guests bring nice, but unwanted or unneeded household and garden goods, as well as clothing and accessories. Then, using one of several methods for redistributing the goods, everyone goes home with items more to their liking. It is especially perfect this time of year because guests can “shop” for free holiday gifts, which is very welcome in this economy.
The procedure I decided on was to have each guest write her name on a clothespin, one for each item that she brought. The clothespins then become currency for “buying” other items. Realizing on my way home from school the day of the party that there would be no way to tell my own possessions that I want to keep(!) from those that were up for grabs, I decided to have each guest also fill out an index card to place with each item. A draped table in our foyer topped with a pretty vase of clothespins, a bowl of index cards (that matched our decor!), and a couple of containers that held a spectrum of colored Sharpie markers provided the perfect staging area. I simply explained the process to the first guests to arrive and they to the next and so on. It was so fun to watch our living room and den be transformed into an eclectic upscale boutique.
What happens if more than one person “pins” the same item? As one friend said, “Girl Fight!” What actually happens is really fun. As a group, we moved through each room, stopping when we came upon items with two or more pins. The pins went into a festive wine bag, I shook them up amidst good-natured chanting and ribbing, and asked someone to draw. Whoever’s name is drawn is the “winner” of the item, but the other person(s) gets to select something else.
Adding a 5th C: Charity
After the swap, there were unclaimed items in which people had interest, so they asked if they could make a donation to charity through me and “purchase” the items. I thought that was a great idea, so they discreetly tucked bills into the clothespin vase and chose the merchandise they wanted. When everyone was gone I discovered that we had collected $50! Wanting, in the spirit of CCC & C, to donate to a women’s or to a food-related charity, I discovered A Well-Fed World whose tagline is “Feeding People/Saving Animals” because their mission is certainly in the spirit of CCC & C. Just click on the link to read all about their important work and, perhaps, make a donation. With just a few items remaining, I made short order of boxing and bagging them up, dropping them off Saturday morning at a nearby thrift store that benefits our Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.
The Food
Since I wanted everyone to freely browse, I decided that “finger food” and small plates were in order. I have lots of favorite appetizers from my Blooming Platter Cookbook, so I thumbed through the fall and winter sections choosing hot, room temperature and cold dishes and crafting the following easy menu. It was a huge hit with all of the guests.
The Tangy Indian White Peas were the only dish not from the cookbook, but I had to make them because, though I had run into an Indian market just for puri to serve with the Saag Dip, the nicest fellow shopper–an Indian–shared a recipe with me, leading me around the store to show me what I needed. The “recipe” is simply the white beans cooked until soft in salted water seasoned with a little turmeric until all of the water has evaporated. Into that mixture is stirred prepared mint chutney and, my addition, a little cilantro and mango chutneys for good measure. Delish and ultra easy!
**For the uninitiated, Prosecco is Italian white sparkling wine that complements everything, especially vegan food. But my husband loves it, too, and he is “a vegan and more.” I first learned of it from Italian celebrity chef, Giada de Laurentiis. It is ridiculously affordable, even in restaurants, at about $30/bottle. But, at Trader Joe’s, a very respectable bottle can be had for about 5 bucks! For a New Year’s post, I plan to share my very special way of serving it. Stay tuned!
Since CCC & C is all about sharing, it is my pleasure to share one of the recipes that I served from the cookbook with you here. For the others, I hope you’ll consider snagging a copy of the book for yourself and your friends!
Blooming Broccoli Dip
Yield: 4 cups
I chose this dip because it’s a crowd pleaser and because our farm market has been harvesting lovely heads of broccoli this fall and winter. Note: I tripled the recipe to serve 20 and I’m glad I did because there was none left over!
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups small broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped red or orange bell pepper (or a combination)
2/3 cup golden raisins
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Vegenaise or other vegan mayo (start with 3 tablespoons and add more as desired)
3 ounces smoked almonds, finely chopped
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well to combine. Add the broccoli, bell peppers, raisins, and scallions and toss to mix well. Fold in the mayo, a few tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Reserve any leftover mayo. Refrigerate the broccoli mixture, covered, several hours or overnight. Fold in the almonds just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled.
l to r: Blooming Broccoli Dip, Mini Puff Pastry Cups, & Curried Cous-Cous
If this week finds you firing up the oven for some last minute holiday baking, as it has me (Vegan Red Velvet Shortcake Cookies anyone?), I recommend that you try homemade vegan palm oil-free “Buttah” created by my new friend-across-the-miles and fellow Vegan Heritage Press cookbook author, Bryanna Clark Grogan (World Vegan Feast and others).
