June 2, 2015 by betsy

Chef Ernesto’s All-Natural Vegan and Vegetarian Foods at..wait for it…Dollar Tree!

As a high school art teacher frequently in need of cheap prizes (fun erasers, pencil sharpenters, etc.) for my “Prize Patrol”–a bin of prizes I award to the winners of art-related competitions during our morning journal entries–I often find myself in Dollar Tree, a locally-grown (get it?) company. Wherever you live, I hope Dollar Tree has come to your area. It’s a life-saver for so many occasions.

Recently, I was standing in the checkout line behind a woman who decided that she didn’t want the box of veggie burgers she had picked up. I quickly said that, if they were vegan, I would be happy to try them. And they were (though they are called “100% Vegetarian”)! Chef Ernesto’s Veggie Burgers come two to a box and the box costs, yep, $1, as does everything in the store.

While they are not necessarily the best veggie burgers I have ever eaten–the texture is a bit soft for my taste–they are respectable and right tasty. A little spicy, they are packed with recognizeable veggies, but they are also a little oily (though they contain no trans fat or saturated fat). So they definitely aren’t plagued by dryness, as so many brands are. I would recommend blotting them on paper towels before serving, and I would heat them in a skillet rather than the microwave for a hint of crunchiness on the exterior.

Each all-natural pattie contains 130 calories and, at 5 grams, not terribly packed with protein but, again, for 50 cents a burger, they are a bargain and I will likely be purchasing more. The vegan line also includes Vegetable Samosas and Battered Mushrooms (that look breaded to me), so, if you have access to a Dollar Tree, check them out and let me know what you think.

May 30, 2015June 2, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Espresso-Cocoa Dreamsicle Smoothie

Yield: 1 serving

I’m ready to head out for yoga. In tow are my Vegan Espresso-Cocoa Dreamsicle Smoothie and ice water in my new Orla Kiely water bottle. The latter was a birthday gift from my dear friend and sweet colleague in our school’s art department. (She also gave me a much-needed traction towel to match!)

In high school, I was a “Carnation Instant Breakfast” gal, as I never liked to eat in the morning. Still don’t. And I detest any kind of processed or canned “protein” beverage. So, I opt for some kind of frappucino or smoothie type drink. Since it feels almost like summer, I have been enjoying my Vegan Dreamsicle Smoothies all week for breakfast.

Today, however, on an early morning dog walk, I got an inspiration. A favorite cake that I used to make–yet to be veganized–combines chocolate, espresso, and orange–and I thought, “Hmm, I
wonder if I could add a teaspoon each of cocoa powder and espresso powder to my Dreamsicle Smoothie for a delicious taste twist and a tiny hit of caffeine without turning the color into something unappealing?”

The answer is, “You betcha!…so bottom’s up!

1 cup ice cubes

1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (go for the most natural/organic brand your can find)

1 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla would also be nice and might omit the need for agave nectar)

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder (or instant coffee)

1 teaspooon agave nectar

Place all ingredients in a Nutribullet (my favorite), blender, “Ninja,” etc. and blend until very smooth.

May 30, 2015May 30, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Tomato-Tuna Stack

Yield: 4 servings (very light)

I love my Vegan Tuna Salad with Sunflower Seeds, Apples, Capers, and Fresh Dill on sandwiches, crackers, toasted bagels, and more.

But since I am the only one in this house who eats it–though, Minnie would love it–I had enjoyed quite a bit of it that way and wanted something different for dinner one evening last week. Something that was light, cold, fresh, and maybe a touch hydrating as it’s already pretty hot and humid here in Coastal Virginia.

That’s when I remembered that, growing up, a popular “ladies’ lunch” was a scoop of tuna salad tucked inside a tomato, often with the top trimmed into a kind of zig-zag. And recently, I had seen on that most unlikely of vegan inspirations, “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives,” a sauce that I was Jonesin’ for: mayo, mustard and Worcestershire.

So, not wanting to fool with hollowing out a tomato, nor wanting to waste any of this big beauty from the farmer’s market, I cut two thick slices, sandwiched my “tuna” inside, placed the stack on a bed of sprouts, and whipped together my vegan version of the Triple D sauce. Voila: dinner!

This may well become a go-to summer meal at my house and, hopefully, at yours.

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon Liquid Aminos or vegan Worcestershire Sauce (soy sauce would be fine in a pinch)

1 cup sprouts

8 large, 1/2-inch thick slices of fresh tomato

1 cup Vegan Tuna Salad with Sunflower Seeds, Apples, Capers, and Fresh Dill

12 large capers

Freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl or cup, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard and Liquid Aminos until well-combined. Taste and adjust proportions if desired and set aside. Arrange one-fourth of sprouts on 4 plates and top each with a tomato slice. Divide vegan tuna salad among the 4 tomato slices and spread gently to edges. Top each with a remaining tomato slice, dollop with one-fourth of the sauce, garnish with 3 capers each and finish with a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

May 27, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Smokey Grilled Asparagus and White Bean Spread with Fresh Dill

Yield: approximately 2+ cups

I am headed to an outdoor concert at The Hermitage Museum in Norfolk tomorrow evening and I think I’ll take along this crowd pleaser. I took it to a party on Saturday night and everyone seemed to love it, even with a garnish of peanuts that the hostess accidentally spilled on top when we were moving the apps outdoors. 🙂

Different without being odd and elegant without being fussy, it travels well and looks fresh upon emerging from the backseat of your car.

While grilling the asparagus may seem like an unnecessary step, trust me it’s not. The unique and addicting flavor of this spread is all about that grilled umami flavor boosted a bit with the addition of smoked almonds and offset by a burst of fresh lemon and “grassy” fresh dill.

1-15 ounce can white beans (like cannelini), rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon olive oil + 1/4 cup

Pinch sea salt or to taste

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed (*see note below)

1/4 cup smoked almonds

2 large cloves garlic

1 cup loosely packed fresh dill (I include the tender stalks)

Juice of 1/2 large lemon

Pinch freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Optional garnish: a couple of grilled asparagus tips, lemon slices or fresh dill sprigs

Place white beans in food processor. Spray a grill pan with nonstick spray and place over medium-high. Add asparagus in a single layer, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, roll to coat, and grill for about 10 to 15 minutes (depending on diameter of asparagus), rolling them over about halfway through or as needed to prevent burning. Remove to cutting board, cut in half, and add to food processor along with all remaining ingredients, including 1/4 cup olive oil. (If using asparagus tips as garnish, set a couple aside.) Pulse until desired texture is reached. I like it fairly smooth, but with a hint of texture and flecks of color. Serve at room temperature or chilled with small toasts or crackers.

*To trim sparagus, hold one spear horizontally between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. Bring hands down and toward each other causing the spear to bend and eventually snap. Wherever it snaps is where all spears should be trimmed–use it as your measuring guide–for the most tender and freshest tasting asparagus.

May 25, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Chunk Cookies (coconut oil is the secret to THE BEST chocolate chip cookies ever!)

Yield: approximately 3 dozen cookies

In my go to chocolate chip cookies, I like a blend of vegan butter and vegetable shortening for the best of both worlds. Craving cookies, but with no shortening, I decided to substitute coconut oil (solid at room temperature) and oh, boy, those of us who haven’t been baking cookies with coconut oil have been missing out! The resulting cookie has the most delectable crispy-crumbly-tender texture imaginable, but they don’t fall apart, no sirree! They are perfection in every way.

The coconut oil imparts to the cookies a very subtle hint of coconut flavor, that will make coconut lovers swoon; but not so much that the coconut averse would object. However, we love coconut in this house, so I decided to add some toasted coconut instead of nuts and the result was addicting and just as comforting as old-style chocolate chip cookies. However, feel free to load them up with the chips, nuts, and dried fruit of your choice.

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cups demerara sugar (or lightly packed light brown sugar)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspooons baking soda

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat)

10 ounces vegan dark chocolate chunks or chips (most organic brands are vegan; check the label)

1 1/2 cups lightly toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper. With an electric mixer, beat together butter and coconut oil until creamy. Add sugar and continue beating until fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. (Note: if using dmerara sugar, because of the larger crystals, they will not dissolve completely.) Add baking powder, soda, sea salt and one-third of flour, mixing on low speed just until combined. Add remaining flour in two parts, continuing to mix on low speed, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add chocolate chunks and coconut and mix just until combined. Drop by generous rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets, using dampened fingers to gently flatten the tops of the cookies. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, rotating pans after 5. Cool pans on wire racks.

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 by betsy

Vegan “Tuna” Salad with Sunflower Seeds, Apple, Capers, and Dill

Yield: approximately 4 cups “tuna” salad

On Mother’s Day, my phenomenal weekend yoga instructor, Angela Philips, mentioned after our morning class that she had prepared her “Nutty Tuna,” made with sunflower seeeds, for her Mother’s Day brunch. She had given me that recipe years ago and at the mere mention, I began craving it.

So I made a batch on Monday, but it wasn’t quite right. I hadn’t consulted the recipe, choosing to make it from memory instead, and, among other things, I went overboard on my substitution of Nori powder for dulce flakes and used an inferior mayo I had on hand that had been given to me. Honestly, it was kind of a dud. I ate a fair amount of it during the week so as not to be wasteful, but it was off the mark, and I discarded the remainder today with little remorse.

But, this past Saturday, I purchased the ingredients I needed, tried it again yesterday afternoon, and I am happy to report that it is delicious. This time, I consulted the recipe just to see if I needed to adhere more closely and decided that I didn’t because, for example, I didn’t want to include the parsley it called for and I knew I wanted mayonnaise to adhere all of the ingredients together, while the original recipe relies only on the moistness of the celery, onion, parsley, soaked sunflower seeds and a tiny bit of lemon juice.

From the original recipe, I did decide to use the capers called for instead of the pickle relish I had added last week. When I was a pre-vegan kid, we always added pickle relish to our tuna salad, but it didn’t work so well with this vegan version. And I added fresh dill, which Angela has started doing too. Though I associate dill more with “chicken” salad, it is widely known to be compatible with seafood, and it is really nice in this recipe. In addition, I included some dried apple, as we often chopped up fresh apple in our childhood tuna salad. Since it is not apple season here and I had some moist and plump dried ones in the pantry, I opted for them and am so glad I did, as they lend just a hint of sweetness.

In the end, this recipe is a little down-home with all the mayo and a little upscale with the addition of capers. As such, I think it is the best of both worlds and hope you agree.

Be sure to begin soaking sunflower seeds the day before you plan to serve the salad.

14 ounces roasted sunflower seeds (salted or not, but the salt will be drained away after soaking)

1 Nori sheet torn in pieces (or 1 teaspoon Nori powder or dulce flakes)

2 cups warm water

4 celery hearts, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

3 green onions, white and green parts, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 tablespoons drained fresh capers

1 cup lightly packed fresh dill fronds, stemmed and broken in half

Optional but very good: 1/3 cup dried apple pieces (be sure they are moist and plump)

1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

8 to 10 tablespoons Vegenaise vegan mayonnaise (my favorite brand for this, but use the mayo of your choice)

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place sunflower seeds and Nori sheet pieces in medium bowl and cover with warm water. Cover and let stand 8 hours or over night. Drain, pressing gently, to remove as much water as possible. Place celery, green onions, capers, fresh dill, optional dried apple, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in bowl of food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add drained and pressed sunflower seeds and continue pulsing until sunflower seeds are also finely minced. Add mayonnaise, submerge into mixture with a spatula, and pulse until well combined. I prefer almost a spread consistency, but still with lots of texture. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional teaspoon of lemon juice, if desired. Pulse just to distribute. Serve immediately or chilled on a sandwich, toasted bagel, stuffed in a tomato, or on crackers. Note: if you desire a more pronounced flavor of the sea and a darker color, use Nori powder or dulce flakes and add them to the mixture in the food processor rather than to the soaking water.

May 17, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Savory Spring Tart with Cherry Tomatoes, Kiwi and Kale (yep, kiwi!)

Yield: 8 servings

I am on a savory spring tart kick. First asparagus, kale, and strawberries; now cherry tomatoes, kiwi, and kale. In art teacher lingo, the colors are still that appetizing “complementary” combination of red and green, but I was craving tomatoes–and it’s not yet tomato season, so I went with the cherry variety–and needed a contrast in color.

Kiwi in a savory tart may sound somewhat odd, but it is similar to incorporating fruit into, say, a spinch salad or, perhaps more to the point, a salsa. In a word: addicting.

In this tart, the tomatoes become lightly charred for an even more delectable and complex flavor. I love a slice served with a drizzle of white balsamic reduction, available at our local Kroger. You can make the reduction, if you prefer, by slowly simmering the vinegar, but I get in a hurry and create shellac, so I purchase it. I also tuck on a garnish of fresh basil. Yes, I know that one is “supposed” to only use herbs as a garnish if they are included in the dish, but it just looks so pretty and I am happy to enjoy that burst of freshness from the basil because it complements the tart even though it is not baked into it.

Rules, scmules.

Vegan Presto! Press-In Pie Crust

1 ½ cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour or half of each (I prefer all whole wheat)

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons sugar

½ cup canola oil

2 tablespoons plain or unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soymilk)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients, make a well, add wet ingredients, and stir together with a fork, just until combined. Press the crust into the bottom and sides of an 8-inch tart pan with removable sides. (Pressing with the bottom of a sturdy glass can be helpful in achieving a uniform thickness and neat appearance.) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and slightly browned (or, if not making this quiche, bake according to the directions for whatever recipe you are making). Leave oven on when you remove the crust. Note: this crust, made with whole wheat flour, made beautiful, sturdy 4-inch tart crusts that held up perfectdly even when removed from the tart pans and slid off their removable bottoms. I suspect the same would be true of mini-tarts made with my go-to choice of white whole wheat.

Vegan Cherry Tomato, Kiwi, and Kale Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, fairly finely chopped

3 large cloves garlic, minced

14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained

½ cup unsweetened or plain nondairy milk (I use soymilk)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons vegetable powder (or 1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled)

¾ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg (there’s something about fresh!)

¼ to ½ scant teaspoon red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or grated vegan Parmesan cheese

2 cups lightly packed chopped kale

Approximately 12 cherry tomatoes (amount will vary depending on size, as they need to fit end to en from center of tart to edge to create a radius, if you will)

8-1/2 inch slices kiwi (purchase 2, as you’ll need more than 1 and can enjoy the leftovers)

Optional garnish: white balsamic reduction (homemade or available in most grocery stores) and fresh basil sprigs

In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute, stirring, for another minute. Remove from heat. Place all ingredients, including sauteed onion and garlic, except kale, cherry tomatoes, kiwi, and optional garnishes, in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add kale, submerge it into the filling mixture with a spatula, and process again until kale is very finely chopped and well-distributed, but not pureed unless that is your preference. Scrape mixture into tart shell, lightly spreading to the edges of the tart and smoothing the top. Arrange cherry tomato halves, end to end, in evenly spaced spokes. Place kiwi slices between each spoke, spritz or brush tomatoes and kiwi with olive oil, and bake tart for 35 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes on a wire rack, carefully remove sides and serve slices with a drizzle of white balsamic reduction and a sprig of fresh basil.

May 11, 2015May 17, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Savory Spring Tart with Grilled Asparagus, Kale and Strawberries (yep, strawberries in a savory quiche!)

Yield: 8 servings

Beautiful plump, juicy strawberries–with their perfectly balanced sweet and tart notes–from Pungo, a local farming community and home to the Pungo Strawberry Festival–and fresh asparagus gave rise to this beautiful, simple, and simply delicious quiche. When I removed it from the oven, even my husband said, “That’s pretty!”

Vegan Presto! Press-In Pie Crust

1 ½ cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour or half of each (I prefer all whole wheat)

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons sugar

½ cup canola oil

2 tablespoons plain or unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soymilk)

Vegan Grilled Asparagus, Kale and Strawberry Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, fairly finely chopped

3 large cloves garlic, minced

14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained

½ cup unsweetened or plain nondairy milk (I use soymilk)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons vegetable powder (or 1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled)

¾ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

¼ to ½ scant teaspoon red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or grated vegan Parmesan cheese

2 cups lightly packed chopped kale

16 asparagus spears, trimmed to about 4 inches (the radius of the tart pan), grilled (I oil, lightly salt and grill in a grill pan over medium-high heat for about 12 minutes, turning occasionally)

8 strawberries, stemmed and halved

Optional garnish: 1 whole strawberry, white balsamic reduction (homemade or available in most grocery stores) and sunflower seeds

In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute, stirring, for another minute. Remove from heat. Place all ingredients, including sauteed onion and garlic, except kale, grilled asparagus, strawberries, and optional garnishes, in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add kale, submerge it into the filling mixture with a spatula, and process again until kale is very finely chopped and well-distributed, but not pureed. Scrape mixture into tart shell, lightly spreading to the edges of the tart and smoothing the top. Arrange asparagus spears in evenly spaced spokes with the tips facing out. Place strawberry halves, cut side up, between every other pair of asparugus spears, and bake tart for 35 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes on a wire rack, carefully remove sides, garnish with a whole berry in the center, and serve slices with a drizzle of white balsamic reduction and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.

May 4, 2015May 25, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Grilled Asparagus and White Bean Spread–so easy and elegant!

Yield: approximately 2+ cups

1-15 ounce can white beans (like cannelini), rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon olive oil + 1/4 cup

Pinch sea salt or to taste

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed (*see note below)

2 large cloves garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed)

Optional: tiny pinch of red pepper flakes

Juice of 1/2 large lemon

Pinch freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Optional garnish: a couple of grilled asparagus tips, lemon slices or fresh dill sprigs

May 2, 2015May 3, 2015 by betsy

Vegan Pad Thai and Scallion Pancakes–Restaurant Redux

Yield: 4 pancakes (2 main dish or 4 appetizer servings)

I love Pad Thai, but our local restaurant won’t serve a lunch size portion at dinner, and a dinner portion is way too much food for one meal. Heck, it’s way too much food for several meals.

So, after bringing home leftovers and enjoying them as is for one meal, I still had a heaping pile remaining. Recently fantasizing about Vietnamese crispy pancakes, I decided to fold the Pad Thai into a pancake batter made with all purpose flour for structure combined with rice flour for lightness and authentic flavor.

Be forewarned: these are NOT crispy, as you can’t fold noodles into pancake batter, even pancake batter made with rice flour and veggie stock, and wind up with a crispy cake. But, they are still delicious, not to mention easy, filling, and quite pretty.

You could serve any kind of Asian-inspired sauce over the pancakes that you like, but I found a sprinkle of vegan fish sauce with 3 dots of sriracha to be perfect. The bright red of the sriracha is a snappy color contrast to the green scallion tips, lime, and basil, and a zesty counterpoint to the other flavors. I thought the three little dots were cute–and just enough to swipe a bit of the pancake through on it’s way to my mouth–but drizzle on more or mix it with a peanut-lime sauce if you choose.

Whatever you do, enjoy your restaurant leftovers re-imagined!

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup vegan fish sauce (sold as vegetarian in Asian markets)

2/3 cup rich vegetable stock

Pinch sea salt if needed

2 scallions, white and about the same amount green as white, thinly sliced (reserve some of the green tips for garnish if desired)

1 to 1 1/4 cups vegan Pad Thai leftovers, large pieces of vegetables and tofu cut in half, slightly warmed in microwave (mine contained sliced mushrooms, broccoli, green beans, baby corn, carrots, and fried tofu pieces, along with the noodles)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Optional garnish: additional vegan fish sauce, green scallion tips, slices of fresh lime, chopped peanuts, sprigs of fresh basil or Thai basil, sriracha

In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours. Then gradually whisk in vegan fish sauce, stock, and sea salt if needed to make a batter. Using a fork, fold in scallions, followed by leftover Pad Thai. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high, swirling to completely coat bottom of pan. Using a 1/3 cup measure, scoop up 1/4 of batter and carefully transfer to skillet, smoothing and spreading to about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with another 1/4 of batter. Cook 2 pancakes at a time for about 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done all the way through. Transfer to plates, keep warm and repeat with remaining tablespoon of oil and batter. Serve immediately garnished as desired with green scallion tips, slices of fresh lime, chopped peanuts, and/or dots of sriracha.