October 17, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan "Pulled" Spaghetti Squash Barbecue with Vegan Cole Slaw on Vegan Creamed Corn and Chive Cakes

Yield: 4-8 servings (depending on how hungry you are)

My pal, Katherine Jackson, requested a veg version of pulled pork barbecue. When I told her she had me stumped (because I wasn’t sure how I could shred something like seitan in a home kitchen), she suggested spaghetti squash. I thought that was a brilliant idea. And I hope you agree.

But, for me, no barbecue meal is complete without the counterpoints of crispy-creamy cole slaw and tender “buttery” corn cakes, so I added those to the mix. I think you’ll love this trifecta of tastes. Here’s to you, Katherine, for providing great inspiration!

Vegan “Pulled” Spaghetti Squash Barbecue

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 spaghetti squash, roasted (see recipe below)
Bloomin’ Barbecue Sauce

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high just until simmering and carefully swirl to coat the bottom. Stir a few spoonfuls of sauce into the squash until well-coated, but not not saturated. Add squash to heated pan and gently press into one layer, filling the skillet. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes. You want it to char just slightly in some places on the bottom but not stick and burn. Stir or loosen from bottom if necessary. Turn the squash over one spoon- or spatula-full at a time and cook for another 3-5 minutes to achieve the same light char in places. Serve with additional sauce, heated, with Vegan Cole Slaw on warm Vegan Creamed Corn Cakes. (All recipes follow.)

Spaghetti Squash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a baking pan. Split spaghetti squash lengthwise, scoop out seeds and stringy pulp and discard (compost!). Place squash halves face down on the baking pan and roast in the center of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack, let sit until cool enough to handle and then scrape flesh out of shell in a flaking motion using a fork creating “shreds.”

Bloomin’ Barbecue Sauce

Optional, but recommended: 1 small onion, finely diced and sauteed in a little olive oil over medium-high heat until golden and slightly caramelized
1-15 ounce can tomato puree
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Amino Acids
5 tablespoons sweetener (I like 1 tablespoon each of the following, but use what you have: maple syrup, molasses, brown rice syrup, brown sugar)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1-3 teaspoons prepared mustard
pinch of coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
pinch of freshly ground black pepper to taste
a dash or two of Liquid Smoke to taste

Stir all together and heat gently until simmering. Simmer for just a few minutes to let flavors combine. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

For the Vegan Cole Slaw 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

October 14, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Wheat Berry, Caramelized Onion, Dried Cranberry and Hazelnut Salad

Yield: approximately 4 cups or 8 servings

I am addicted to a wheat berry salad I discovered recently on the deli bar at our local Farm Fresh grocery store. I nabbed some one day when I had neglected to take my lunch to school. For some reason, I love to scoop it up with All Bran crackers. (Have you tried them yet? Mmm…)

Each time I purchase the salad for my lunch, I try to analyze what’s in it which is no small feat considering I’m usually wolfing it down. Finally, this weekend, I set about to recreate it. My recipe comes very close, except for the addition of hazelnuts which seemed like the perfect finishing touch to me. Besides tasting so good, making my own salad saves drive-time and money, though I suspect I have not had my last taste of the inspiration dish.

The only downside to wheat berries is the long hands-free cooking time, but you definitely don’t want to serve them undercooked, though they will be chewy regardless. And this salad is so worth any extra effort. Therefore, the day before you plan to serve it, start the berries soaking in 2 cups of water. Twelve hours later, they will be softened and ready for cooking.

1 1/4 cups wheat berries
2 generous cups water

Soak berries in water for 12 hours, drain, and proceed with recipe.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, very finely diced
1/2 of a red bell pepper, very finely diced
generous 3 cups of vegetable stock
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider, fig or red wine vinegar (I used fig because I had some on hand)
zest of 1/4-1/2 of a large orange (you just want a barely perceptible hint of orange)
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (dry toast in a skillet over medium-high heat for a very few minutes, just until lightly toasted)
approximately 1 tablespoon or so of snipped fresh chives

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat oil to shimmering. Add onions and saute, stirring frequently until they just start to turn golden. Add celery and red pepper and continue sauteing and stirring frequently until it softens. (Note: you may alternatively add uncooked red pepper at the end; the crunch and brighter red color is a nice contract with the other ingredients.) Stir in soaked and drained wheat berries. Add stock, stir well and cover with a lid or foil and simmer, lowering heat to medium if necessary, until tender and liquid is absorbed, probably about an hour, but start checking at 45 minutes. Add warm stock or water if liquid evaporates before berries are tender. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl. Stir in dried cranberries and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix together olive oil, vinegar and zest, pour over berry mixture and toss gently to coat. When mixture cools to room temperature, stir in hazelnuts, chives, and red bell pepper if you chose not to add it with celery. Adjust seasoning if necessary. This salad is best served at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

July 23, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Salad-on-a-Stick with Vegan Tomato Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

A clever recipe for salad-on-a-stick in a recent issue of the Food Network Magazine inspired my slightly altered version. Because I decided to make a luscious tomato vinaigrette for dunking, I substituted red bell pepper chunks for cherry tomatoes on the skewers. And I also substituted folded Romaine leaves in place of the recommended iceberg wedges because the former looked especially good at the market. This fun salad might even have kids (and adult partners) wanting to eat their veggies.

4 long wooden or metal skewers

Salad:
12 cucumber slices, about ¼-inch thick, cut on the diagonal
12 carrot slices, about ¼-inch thick, cut on the diagonal
12 small to medium Romaine lettuce leaves
1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, cored, and each quarter cut crosswise into three pieces

String ingredients onto skewers in the order listed above. Repeat three times per skewer. For the lettuce, cut or break off any tough part of the stalk end and fold the leaves over vertically and horizontally before spearing with the skewer. Note: you can substitute any veggies of your choice, including small wedges of iceberg lettuce for the Romaine.

Roma Tomato Vinaigrette:
3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Leaves from 5-inch stalk of rosemary
Pinch sugar
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. Pour into a serving vessel, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. May be made in advance.

July 4, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Quinoa, Corn, Peach and Boiled Peanut Salad with Sweet Tea Dressing

Yield: 4-6 servings

Salads don’t get any more southern or more tasty than this one, not to mention beautiful and nutritious. Do yourself a favor and the salad justice by using only farm-fresh produce because the taste of the salad is largely dependent on that of the corn and peaches. If boiled peanuts sound odd in a salad, you’ll be so surprised. Their mouth feel is similar to beans, but their flavor is distinctive and delicious. I purchased mine at a farmer’s market, but they are sold in cans in the veggie sections of grocery stores. For a formal ‘south’ren touch, serve the salad in teacups like the one in the photo which I inherited from my late Nana. A sprig of mint or parsley completes the pretty picture.

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 31, 2009 by betsy

Vegan Cabbage, Apple and Caraway Salad

Yield 4-6 servings

This zippy fresh salad was inspired by my friend Karen and her horse Roxy. We have been joking about recipes for Roxy and, while a dressed salad isn’t appropriate for a horse, she was on my mind as I chose ingredients which also give a nod (or a neigh) to Hungary.

Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately the juice of one small lemon)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/8-1/4 teaspoon sweet Paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:
4 cups finely shredded cabbage (very gently packed into measuring cup)
1 large red delicious apple, cut in half lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced crosswise (as thin as you can make the slices), and then cut in half

1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Make dressing by whisking all ingredients together. Set aside. Place cabbage and apple slices in a serving bowl. Pour dressing over, sprinkle with caraway seeds, and toss gently with a salad fork until all ingredients are well combined and dressing is evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.

May 24, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Egg Salad

Yield: approximately 2 cups

As a vegetarian, one of my all-time favorite old-fashioned sandwiches has to have been fluffy egg salad. Once I became a vegan, I figured they were a thing of the past. Happily, that turned out not to be the case. However, all tofu egg salad recipes are not created equal. I have made recipes and tasted purchased varieties that didn’t satisfy the craving. But this recent creation made the grade. Feel free to adjust proportions to suit your taste, but do keep in mind that, while it is an indispensable ingredient to an authentic taste, celery seed is a little bitter, so avoid over-doing it. Also, if you don’t eat sugar, you may leave it out. I found, though, that because boiled eggs are ever-so-slightly sweet–at least according to my best recollection–the sugar is a necessary addition if authenticity is your goal. Similarly, I use apple cider vinegar for its subtle sweet note but, by all means, use white vinegar if you have it on hand or even dill or sweet pickle juice.

14 ounces firm tofu, drained (not Silken–a test proved it to be unsatisfactory)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 stalks of celery, trimmed, sliced vertically into 4 strips and sliced thinly crosswise

3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2-1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon dried dill weed or 1 tablespoon fresh minced dill

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste

Mash tofu with salt in a medium-size bowl using a potato masher or a fork. Don’t worry about over-mashing, as the texture seems to improve with additional mashing. Fold in celery with a fork. Whisk together all remaining ingredients except additional salt, black pepper and sugar. Pour over tofu mixture and mash until dressing is completely incorporated. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and sugar if needed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

May 19, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Deconstructed Chili Salad

Yield: 8 servings (easily halved)

With summer almost here, my thoughts have turned to refreshing, but hearty salads (though I’m also pretty likely to crave cold weather foods in July). It occurred to me that all of the ingredients for a vegan chili would make a delicious salad: hence the reference to “deconstruction.”

The salad’s key ingredients are red kidney beans, tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion. The dressing includes a spice mixture similar to what I use in chili. If you use yellow bell pepper and dried instead of fresh oregano, you may want to add a tablespoon of minced fresh parsley or cilantro for some flecks of green throughout the salad. For the acid in the dressing, I chose red wine and lime juice, as I like a little red wine in my chili and I like to serve bowls of chili with wedges of lime. Because I chose to omit faux ground beef, which is ever-so-slightly sweet, I decided to add just a hint of sweetness to the dressing in the form of maple or brown rice syrup. Finally, one of my favorite vegan chili recipes calls for sunflower seeds so, here, I include them as a garnish.

Salad:
2-15 ounce cans Bush’s red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup finely diced green or yellow bell pepper
1 ½ cups finely diced red onion
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
1 teaspoon chili powder (I like Ancho chili powder)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
scant 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
scant 1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons red wine
1 teaspoon maple or brown rice syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, if needed

Optional garnish: a couple of tablespoons of roasted, salted sunflower seeds

Gently toss together salad ingredients in a medium non-reactive bowl and set aside. Combine all dry dressing ingredients in a small non-reactive cup or bowl. Whisk in wet ingredients. Drizzle over salad and gently toss one more time, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds if desired just before serving.

May 19, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan White Bean and Sage Salad

Yield: 4 servings

This recipe was inspired by my dear friend Trish’s signature salad. Her food is always beautiful, fresh and healthful, like her. And it is often based on flavors of the Mediterranean. Though I have made a few changes to what I remember her describing when I asked for the recipe after tasting the dish at a party, the essence is very similar.

Dressing:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil (start with one, add other ingredients, taste, and add another if desired)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup

Salad:
2-14.5 ounce cans cannelini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1.3 ounces (2-.66 ounce packages) fresh sage, stems removed and very coarsely chopped; reserve 1 sprig for garnish
2 large garlic cloves, sliced and then finely chopped
pinch of salt
1/3 cup pitted black olives (I like the shriveled, oil-cured variety)
3 ounces pine nuts toasted in a dry skillet on top of the stove for a few minutes, stirring frequently; reserve approximately 2 tablespoons for garnish
optional: 2 tablespoons fresh or fresh frozen minced parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish: zest of half a lemon plus reserved 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts and sprig of fresh sage

In a small non-reactive bowl or cup, whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside. Place beans in a medium non-reactive bowl and set aside. In a large skillet, over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add sage leaves, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and sauté, stirring continually, for a couple of minutes or until leaves darken slightly and become firmer and garlic softens. Do not let garlic brown. Spoon over beans and add black olives, all but reserved 2 tablespoons of pine nuts and minced parsley. Drizzle dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed. Toss again gently to distribute. Spoon into a shallow serving bowl, sprinkle with lemon zest and reserved pine nuts and tuck in a sprig of fresh sage. Serve at room temperature or ever so slightly warmed, rather than cold which robs the dish of its flavor.

Note: If not serving the salad immediately, toss the pine nuts in, adjust seasoning, and garnish just before serving to help the nuts maintain their crunch.

May 2, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Bacon, Lentil and Tomato Salad ("BLT")

Yield: 8 servings

This “BLT” is one of my favorite salads, as I love its sweet, smoky pungency and all of the contrasting textures and colors. Plus, it’s a meal in and of itself.

1 cup lentils, rinsed (black belugas are beautiful, but use what you have)
4 cups hot water
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces smokey tempeh strips (known as “Fakin‘ Bacon”)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon brown sugar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon mustard
2 cups halved grape tomatoes (cut lengthwise)
1/2 cup minced fresh or fresh-frozen parsley
zest of 1/2 lemon

Place lentils and water into a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to a simmer. Cook just until tender, about 15 minutes, and drain well. (Avoid ove- cooking or they will turn to “mush.” If that happens, make soup!)

Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place tempeh strips in a single layer in skillet and cook for a couple of minutes, gently flip and cook a couple minutes longer, just until golden. Remove strips to a cutting board and slice into 1 1/2″ pieces.

While lentils and tempeh cook, make dressing. In a small cup or bowl, whisk together olive oil and next five ingredients.

Place drained lentils, tempeh and tomatoes into a large non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic). Season wish salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and lemon zest and gently toss all together. Serve at room temperature.