November 11, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Creamy Italian White Bean and Spinach Dip

This luscious-but-healthy dip with sea salt pita chips was a hit at a recent wine tasting (for my husbands posthumous 57th birthday party, as he, sadly, didn’t quite make it). Afterwards, the leftovers were scrumptious as a quesadilla filling. I topped those golden beauties with vegan sour cream, shredded purple cabbage and carrots, and fresh cilantro leaves.

8 ounces vegan cream cheese

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

2-15 ounce cans cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

Approximately 1 cup sauteed spinach, coarsely chopped

1/2-1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh, minced)

1/2-1 teaspoon rubbed sage

Zest of 1/2 lemon (good without; better with)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Sea salt to taste

Accompaniment: pita chips or other crackers

Mash together vegan cream cheese and mayonnasie until well combine. Add beans and coarsely mash. Add all remaining ingredients and stir together until well combined. Serve chilled with your favorite chip or cracker or use as a filling for quesadillas or enchiladas.

December 20, 2014December 21, 2014 by betsy

Vegan Focaccia with Red Grapes, Roasted Acorn Squash, and Kale Pesto

You can top this focaccia with anything, but I have to say that my combination of red grapes, roasted acorn squash and kale pesto is a keeper. And it’s so pretty for Christmas.

The simple focaccia dough recipe is only slightly adpated from one in a culinary magazine that I cut out years ago, but failed to credit. Sorry! My only change was to add a little bit of olive oil and to correct the number of ounces in the yeast package. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast, but that is a 3/4 ounce package, not a 1/4 ounce package. Details, details!

3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)

3/4 ounce (2 1/2 teaspoons) package fast-acting yeast (like Rapid Rise)

1/2 teaspoon turbinado sugar

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat)

1 teaspoon sea salt + more for sprinkling

1 tablespoon olive oil + more for drizzling

Red grapes, halved (in amount you choose to space about 1 inch apart)

Roasted acorn squash, cut in thin slices (enough to alternate with grapes)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Kale pesto (use your favorite or one of mine)–amounts may vary– brought to room temperature

Lightly oil a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, stir together water, yeast, and sugar and let stand until foamy or about 5 minutes. Gradually stir in 2 teaspoons olive oil followed by flour and salt to form a soft dough. On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough with floured hands for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, rub with remaining teaspoon of olive oil, and invert bowl over the top. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Then, roll out dough into a 13 x 9 inch rectangle and transfer to baking pan, pressing gently into corners. Let dough rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange grape halves and acorn squash in an attractive design over the top, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake in center of oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool focaccia in pan on a metal rack. Dot with pesto, slice, and serve.

September 9, 2014September 6, 2014 by betsy

Layered Vegan Eggplant Tart with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Yield: 6-4.5 inch tarts

Our farmer’s market still has local eggplant, and I hope yours does, because you will not want to wait until next summer to savor these simply beautiful and delicious tarts. They were another of my contributions to our annual Julia Child Birthday Bash in August. Everyone loved them and I’m sure Julia herself would have approved!

The recipe is one I adapted from TheFoodDiaries.com. It calls for either spreading the cooked shells with mustard or pesto. I didn’t read it carefully and used both and LOVED it: Different, but subtle, and not weird at all. The mustard provides a nice little unexpected zing. I hope you agree!

1 recipe Press-In Tart crust (recipe follows)

1 recipe Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (recipe Follows)

1 approximately 12-inch long Japanese eggplant, cut into 24 1/4-inch slices, oiled and baked on an oiled baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until softened

2 tablespoons Dijon or stone-ground mustard

2 generous tablespoons vegan pesto (homemade, preferred)

Pinch sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: 6 sprigs fresh basil

To assemble, spread each cooked tart crust with 1 teaspoon mustard followed by 1 teaspoon pesto and 1/12 of the sauce. Arrange about 4 slices of baked eggplant on top of the sauce, add a pinch sea salt, and then top with another 1/12 of sauce, allowing eggplant to show around the edges. Sprinkle with just a hint of salt and pepper and bake for 15 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool enough to remove sides of tart pans without burning yourself and serve warm. Or, allow the tarts to cool completely, remove sides, and serve room temperature. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs.

Press-In Tart Crust:

Ever since I found this recipe at www.steptalk.org, it has been my go-to crust for everything! It is so easy, never-fail, requires no rolling, and is quite flavorful.

2 cups flour (unbleached all-purpose, white whole wheat, or whole wheat)

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cup canola oil

3 tablespoons unsweetened soymilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Make a well in the center, and pour in oil and soymilk. Whisk together just until combined. Divide dough evenly among six 5-inch tart shells with removable bottoms, and press evenly onto bottom and around edges. I like to break the dough into pieces and distribute it around the bottom of the tart pan so that maintaining an even crust is much easier. Use a drinking glass to assest with the pressing if desired. Bake 10-12 minutes and remove to a wire rack. While tart shells bake, make sauce.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, stemmed, seeded, broiled until charred, and skin removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red onion, diced

Sea salt

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high. Add onion and a pinch of sea salt and sauté about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, for about 1 minute. Place peppers, onion mixture, and balsamic mixture in the bowl of a food process, and process until fairly smooth. Check for salt and adjust if necessary.

August 6, 2014August 14, 2014 by betsy

Vegan Lasagna with Creamy Swiss Chard Filling, Walnut Pesto, and Fresh Roma Tomato Sauce

Yield: 6 servings

In this lovely summer lasagna–a guest recipe I was asked to create for Tofutti Brands, Inc.–a fluffy and creamy Swiss Chard Filling finds its perfect counterpoints in rich Walnut Pesto; zippy, pleasantly acidic, lightly cooked Fresh Roma Tomato Sauce; and a crunchy topping.

Creamy Swiss Chard Filling (recipe follows)

sea salt

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil

6 dried lasagna noodles

1/2 pound (about 3 large) fresh Roma tomatoes, unpeeled, stem end removed, and halved

3 tablespoons loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup walnut pieces

1 large garlic clove, halved

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Make Creamy Swiss Chard Filling in food processor, transfer mixture to a medium bowl, set aside, and rinse out bowl of food processor.

Noodles: Fill a large pot (4-quart) 3/4 full with water, add a tablespoon each of sea salt and olive oil, and bring to a gentle boil. Add lasagna noodles, partially cover, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, lowering heat if necessary. Drain and arrange noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet, covered with a kitchen towel to prevent drying out.

Fresh Roma Tomato Sauce: Place Roma tomatoes in food processor with basil and a pinch of sea salt and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium (2-quart) saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and most of watery moisture has evaporated; lower heat if necessary to prevent scorching and sticking on the bottom. Remove from heat.

Walnut Pesto: Rinse and dry bowl of food processor and add the nuts, garlic clove, and about a 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Pulse until finely chopped and, then, with motor running, drizzle in 1/4 cup of olive oil to make a thick paste. Set aside.

Topping: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, add bread crumbs and toast, stirring occasionally, until crumbs begin to turn golden brown, lowering heat if necessary. Add nutritional yeast and continue toasting and stirring for another minute or until crumbs are golden and yeast is fragrant. Remove from heat.

Assembly: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil the bottom and sides of two 5 x 9″ metal or ceramic loaf pans. Trim all of the lasagna noodles to fit the length of the pans and then cut the trimmings in half. Line each of the pans with 2 overlapped lasagna noodles, spread each with 1/4 of the Creamy Swiss Chard Filling, and cover the surface of each with small dollops of 1/4 of the walnut pesto. Top each with a single lasagna noodle and 1/2 of the noodle trimmings tucked along the sides if desired (or you may discard these). Repeat layers, ending with a final single lasagna noodle. Spoon half of the Fresh Roma Tomato Sauce over each, sprinkle with half of the bread crumbs, and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, slice with a sharp serrated knife, and serve.

Note: if you are watching your calories, this lasagna is equally as successful and delicious without the last lasagna noodle layer Simply spoon the tomato sauce over the second and final Walnut Pesto layer, top with crumbs, and bake as directed. In this case, you will need only 6 lasagna noodles.

Creamy Swiss Chard Filling:

1/2 pound stemmed Swiss chard leaves

14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained

8 ounces Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese

Juice and zest of 1/2 large lemon

2 large cloves garlic

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon turbinado sugar (or any granulated sugar)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste

Finely chop Swiss chard in the bowl of a food processor. Transfer chard to a medium bowl, set aside, and rinse out bowl of food processor. Place all remaining ingredients in the food processor bowl and process until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Transfer to bowl with Swiss Chard and fold together until completely combined.

December 3, 2013December 3, 2013 by betsy

Blooming Platter “Vegan Q & A Tuesday” with Laura Theodore aka the “Jazzy Vegetarian” + Laura’s Spaghetti and Wheatballs Recipe

November whizzed past and it’s already that time again…

Based on Inside the Actor’s Studio host’s James Lipton’s famous “Q & A”–after the Proust Questionnaire–“Vegan Q & A Tuesday” is The Blooming Platter’s first Tuesday feature on a creative force in the vegan culinary world. Read more about “Q & A Tuesday” HERE.

Featured Force:

Laura Theodore

[See below for Laura’s Spaghetti and Wheatballs recipe.]

Laura Theodore is a television personality and radio host, vegan chef, cookbook author, and award-winning singer. She is the creator of the Jazzy Vegetarian, and author of Jazzy Vegetarian: Lively Vegan Cuisine Made Easy and Delicious and Jazzy Vegetarian Classics: Vegan Twists on American Family Favorites. Laura is the on-camera host and writer of the Jazzy Vegetarian Television Series on PBS and hosts the weekly show, Jazzy Vegetarian Radio. Ms. Theodore has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and USA Networks and has been featured in the NY Times, Family Circle, NY Daily News, NY Post, Readers Digest and VegNews.

Laura Theodore and Jazzy Vegetarian have been honored with a

2014 Special Achievement Taste Award

and nominated for three 2014 Taste Awards,

including a VIEWERS CHOICE AWARD:

“Best Home Chef in a Series”!

Please consider voting for Jazzy Vegetarian here!

1. What is your favorite word? Delicious

2. What is your least favorite word? Burnt

3. What turns you on? I love the smile on the faces of friends and family when I have served them a meal that they truly savor. Makes me feel like I have accomplished a good deed!

4. What turns you off? Creating a new recipe that I am SO excited about and it just does not taste right. Well – if at first you don’t succeed try again!

5. What sound or noise do you love? Hearing friends and family (at our dining table) raving about the dinner while I am in the kitchen prepping the next course!

6. What sound or noise do you hate? Me, cursing as I drop food or utensils on the kitchen floor when I am trying to do too many things at once!

7. *What makes you curse in the kitchen? Me – dropping food or utensils on the floor when I am trying to do too many things at once!

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Broadway producer. I love musicals.

9. What profession would you not like to do? Doctor or Nurse

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Glad you are here! I am looking forward to hearing a song and tasting those Spaghetti and Wheatballs!

Spaghetti and Wheatballs

Makes 3 to 4 servings (12 to 14 Wheatballs)

By Laura Theodore

1 1/3 cups lightly packed, fresh soft whole-grain bread crumbs (see note)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup diced onion

3/4 pound whole-grain spaghetti (see note)

3 cups prepared vegan marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a medium baking pan with unbleached parchment paper.

Put the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Put the walnuts in a blender or food processor, and pulse to process into coarse crumbs. Add the walnuts to the bread crumbs and stir gently to incorporate.

Put the mushrooms and onion in a blender or food processor, and process to a chunky purée. Add the mushroom mixture to the walnut/bread crumb mixture and stir to incorporate. Spoon out about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture and roll it into a ball. Continue in this way with the remaining mushroom mixture. Arrange the wheatballs on the lined baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Gently rotate each wheatball and bake for 12 to 16 minutes more, or until they are crisp and golden.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm. Drain the spaghetti well.

Meanwhile, pour the marinara sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Gently add the wheatballs to the sauce, one at a time, cover, and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.

To serve, put one-quarter of the spaghetti into each of four pasta bowls, and top with three or four wheatballs. Ladle marinara sauce over the top and serve immediately.

NOTES

· To make fresh bread crumbs: Put 3 to 4 slices of whole-grain bread in a blender or food processor and process into coarse crumbs.

· You may use your favorite gluten-free pasta in this recipe.

November 22, 2013 by betsy

Countdown to Thanksgiving–Day #6: Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna with Smokey Marinara Sauce and “Ricotta” with Kale Pesto

Butternut-Squash-Lasagna-1-800x600 For my first two “Countdown” posts–Day 7 and, now, Day 6–I decided to address the Thanksgiving main dish, as it can be the trickiest for vegans, it seems. Nothing against “Tofurky” necessarily, but it has never been what I craved to grace the center of our Thanksgiving buffet.

This dish, on the other hand, is, to me, Thanksgiving personified. A rich and creamy–but healthy!–layered amalgamation of many of my favorite flavors of fall, this lasagna is THE BEST I have ever eaten, much less created. Wait, I think it’s the only lasagna I have ever created. I guess I figured I just couldn’t do any better!

This link will take you to my original post which includes a hyperlink to One Green Planet who generously published the recipe. Your soon-to-be favorite lasagna is just two clicks away!

July 19, 2013July 19, 2013 by betsy

Vegan Beet Bolognese–Mama-Mia!

Yield: 8 servings

I love beets! Roasted, in salads, in my “famous” Beet Muhummara…you name it, I love me some beets!

And they have been beet-iful at the farmer’s market lately. I bought a bunch recently–again–but wanted to do something new with them. I’m not sure why it occurred to me, but I wondered about a pasta sauce, like a Bolognese. So I searched online, and found a vegan version, but mine is substantially different and, after a little more research, seems more true to the original…without the meat, of course.

A little chopping is involved, but the recipe goes together quickly and easily and it is well worth it. Most of the time is hands-free while the sauce simmers.

The optional miso, nutritional yeast, and Liquid Aminos, granted, are hardly traditional, but they add a depth of flavor. Though they aren’t entirely necessary for a satisfying dish, if you have them on hand, I would definitely use them.

Two other tips: be sure to cook the sauce the full 4o minutes, and avoid omitting the non-dairy milk at the end, as it lightens and mellows the sauce just perfectly.

Otherwise, enjoy over your favorite pasta, including the new Shiratake noodles–very low cal–or cooked zucchini ribbons! The color is stunning, not to mention the flavor!

A foodie friend claimed that her husband “who never swoons over food” did…all while tasting it cold out of the carton standing over the sink! But they really loved it heated over pasta as did my Italian friend–another foodie in her own right–who spooned hers over Orecchiette. None of these folks, by the way, are vegan (though two are vegetarian)!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

Sea salt

1 small carrot, peeled and diced

1 rib of celery, quartered lengthwise and diced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf, halved

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 sprig fresh thyme, rinsed (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

8 ounces vegan ground beef substitute, thawed if frozen (I used Boca Veggie Crumbles; note: if your product is not already browned, brown in a little oil and remove from skillet before beginning recipe. If you aren’t a fan of vegan meat substitutes, consider 8 ounces of cooked lentils, maybe some nice red ones.)

1/2 pound beets, peeled and processed in a food processor until almost a paste

14 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes, including juice

1 cup red wine (I used a Bordeaux)

1 teaspoon natural sugar

Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Optional: 1 teaspoon Liquid Aminos

Optional: 1 tablespoon light miso

1/4 cup tightly-packed fresh basil leaves, washed

Optional garnishes: a sprinkling of nutritional yeast and a pinch of red pepper flakes

1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk (or other unsweetened non-dairy milk)
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil, add the onion, and a pinch of sea salt. Saute, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Repeat this procedure with the carrot followed by the celery. Add the garlic and saute, stirring, 1 minute. Season to taste with more salt and with some pepper. Stir in remaining ingredients except soymilk. Simmer, lowering heat if necessary, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the thyme sprig and bay leaves, stir in the soymilk, heat through, and turn off heat to allow sauce to rest for a few minutes before serving over cooked pasta garnished as desired.

January 7, 2013January 7, 2013 by betsy

The Blooming Platter Cookbook’s Betsy DiJulio is Cookstr’s “Author of the Day” Monday, January 7, 2013

What I thought was surely a once-in-a-lifetime honor has happened for a second time: Cookstr–“The World’s #1 Collection of Cookbook Recipes Online”– bestowed upon me the honor of “Author of the Day” today! What a beautiful way to start the new year. I am so grateful and humbled!

Please visit their home page where, as they told me, “…your name and photo will be the first thing our visitors see when they click onto the site.” On a continual loop inside the box are features like “Top Picks,” “Recipe of the Day,” and “Author of the Day.” If you don’t see it right away and have time to wait just a minute, me and my recipe for Angel Hair Pasta with Chard and Bell Peppers will come back around!

Cookstr was founded in New York City in 2008 by Will Schwalbe, together with Katie Workman, Art Chang and the Tipping Point Partners team. The Author of Send,Will left his job as SVP and Editor in Chief of Hyperion Books to found Cookstr.

The organization’s stated mission is to:

“…organize the world‘s best cookbooks and recipes and make them universally accessible.

We are setting the standard for innovation in the delivery of 100% trusted, tested, recipes to home cooks around the world. Our online recipe library offers thousands of recipes by hundreds of the top chefs and cookbook authors, that are free for everyone on Cookstr.com. This year alone, Cookstr.com powered recipe searches in over 20,000 cities and 200 countries!”

Here are a few additional reasons to visit Cookstr besides sharing in my 15 minutes, or rather 24 hours, of fame:

Search and browse THOUSANDS of recipes from cookbooks, all with photos.
Visit the iBooks library.
Access the profiles, with photos, of hundreds of top authors, including celebrity chefs.
And, my favorite feature: access nutritional information for EVERY recipe and search recipes by dietary considerations

By signing up with Cookstr, for free of course, you will receive a free, handpicked selection of recipes in your inbox weekly; be able to save, share and comment on your favorite recipes in My Cookstr; and get updates on new Cookstr features and tools.

Cookstr really is creating “meaningful experiences around food, and support(ing) healthy lifestyles.” Let’s all be a part!

The warmest of thanks to Cookstr and to all of you for your support!

November 17, 2012November 17, 2012 by betsy

Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna with Smokey Marinara Sauce and “Ricotta” with Kale Pesto

Yield: 4 servings

Just in time for Thanksgiving, I finally got serious about a challenge long before me: a perfect butternut squash lasagna!

Every time I think about making a butternut squash lasagna–and there have been many times over the years!–I never end up doing it because I can’t make up my mind about whether or not to include mushrooms and/or spinach, whether to go with a bechamel or a tofu “ricotta” layer, whether or not to give in and incorporate some purchased vegan cheese (of which I’m not a big fan), in what order the layers should go, and on and on. All of the possibilities just short-out my circuits.

But, recently, I had an already peeled and ready-to-cook butternut squash in the fridge from our farmer’s market, some lasagna noodles, and a fresh batch of my Smokey Kale Pesto. The kale pesto made it easy to decide how to incorporate the greens–into a tofu “ricotta” layer–which also answered the bechamel vs. “ricotta” question. And since I didn’t have any mushrooms on hand, the rest just sort of fell into place.

This beautiful golden lasagna stacks up high but holds together beautifully to cut. Acidic fire-roasted tomatoes prevent it from being overly sweet. And the creamy ricotta layer receives a major flavor boost and a hint of color from the pesto. Since I make this bright green pesto with smoked almonds, I added a little smoked paprika to the marinara to marry the flavors. Because of these smokey notes, fire-roasted tomatoes are perfect.

Ultimately, I opted for no purchased vegan cheese, so I just sprinkled my beloved nutritional yeast over the marinara as the last layers. But then, not wanting the top to seem dry and wanting one final burst of fall flavors, I sauteed some fresh sage leaves and roasted pepitas in olive oil, drizzling the leaves, nuts, and sage-infused olive oil over the top of the lasagna before serving.

Wow! The results were worth all the years of waiting!

Though it’s a little different, this dish would be a beautiful and welcome addition to even the most traditional of holiday feasts. Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Note: To make this lasagna ultra-easy to put together, I like to prepare the various parts a day in advance. The pesto can even be made a couple of days in advance, as the lemon juice will keep it bright green.

For my recipe, head over to One Green Planet with one easy click HERE! It seems to be very popular among OGP readers and I hope all of you, as well!

Vegan Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians: The Blooming Platter in Virginia Beach, VA

A Bounty of Vegan Recipes, Tips, Links and More

Category: Vegan Italian