Bloody Mary Bruschetta with White Bean Aioli

I really hope everyone remembers their first *good* Bloody Mary like I do. Prior to this revolution, I had only tasted a beverage consisting of purchased tomato "mix" swished around with cheap vodka producing a barely palatable, acidic and flavorless taste. Yet back in 2005 I had a friend who believed in this brunch time hangover cure of a cocktail and insisted on making a believer out of me. She did. The enchantment began by watching the bartender (at the now closed Cafe Montmartre in Madison, WI) muddle horseradish and fresh lemon zest with sugar and pouring in fresh tomato juice with a dash of this and a spritz of that. The final garnish consisted of a few hearty shakes of Tobasco plus the perfect garnishment of pickled asparagus, onions and olives - the spell was cast and I was hooked. She turned to me and said "it's like a salad in a glass that gives you a buzz."

The position of being the same catalyst for my token omnivore's first Bloody Mary experience was incredibly rewarding. Strolling around San Francisco, we passed a small cafe with patrons-a-plenty drinking the salty ruby on the patio. He had always shunned the idea because it was a "savory" cocktail and the idea of tomato juice sounded like something that only belonged in a nursing home. When I made a believer out of him, it was one of the most satisfying moments in our relationship. Now it's his favorite drink which is what prompted my interest in this dish.

When this recipe for Bloody Mary Tomatoes arrived through an email subscription, I obviously had to make them immediately. Not for me, but for my special someone who has come to love not only this dear combination of mildly sweet, salty and scrumptious flavors but also the idea of "bruschetta." He now even pronounces it correctly in the true, Italian phonetic fashion. Broo-SKEH-tah. So many firsts have I been able to witness for him, including a trip to Napa that involved us saving money and running to the grocery store to get the ingredients for whipping up our own bruschetta-esque. I took this recipe and ran with in the same way - plopped it on some bread smeared with a creamy spread.

I shortened up the recipe a bit to make this a readily prepared appetizer. For the aioli, I used those huge marinated white beans that you see in the olive bar at your natural grocer, but you could easily use white beans with an extra touch of olive oil. Or you could just buy some white bean hummus from Trader Joe's and call it a day. Either way, you won't be disappointed with these tomatoes for which I cannot take credit. Credit-schmedit - they are definitely worth sharing.

Bloody Mary Tomatoes
(adapted from Rachel Saunders of the Blue Chair Fruit Company)
Makes 4-6 servings
Cook time:  40 minutes

Ingredients

For the tomatoes
1 T. horseradish
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 T. finely granulated sugar
8 Roma tomatoes, quartered
2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Cooking spray

For the Aioli
1/3 c. marinated butter beans (or 1/3 c. canned white beans + 1/2 T. olive oil)
2 T. reduced fat Veganaise (or yogurt)
1 T. capers (optional)
4-6 Kalamata olives, chopped (optional)

For the bruschetta
1 medium baguette or sourdough loaf
Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400*F and grease a baking sheet with cooking spray (I highly recommend using aluminum foil over the pan to prevent a mess).

In a medium bowl rub the horseradish, lemon zest, celery salt and cayenne into the sugar with your fingers. Add the tomatoes and Worcestershire. Toss to coat tomatoes in mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Place tomatoes flesh side up on the baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat when done and set aside. Keep oven heated to toast bread.

To prepare the aioli: Mash the beans in a small bowl. Add the Veganaise and whip until blended. Stir on the capers and olives, if using. Set aside.

To prepare the bruschetta: Slice the baguette or bread into 1/4 inch thick slices. Coat each side with cooking spray and toast in oven to 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. When done, spread each slice with aioli and top with one tomato quarter. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Cheers to Bloody Tomatoes and a messy kitchen.

Green Diva Dip

There are a lot of recipes floating around right now for sweet pea guacamole or green pea hummus - both featuring a mush-prone vegetable to put some spring into a dish. Though I don't typically like following blog trends, I do like coming up with quick snacks when I'm low on exciting groceries. In this instance, we were heading poolside and feeling munchy, but I didn't have legumes for hummus or chips for dipping. What I had were crisp vegetables, leafy greens, and frozen peas.

Another fantastic result of a clean-out-the-fridge hodgepodge. With frozen peas and edamame always on hand, I had a good base. I'm also going through a juicing phase and have a lot of greens (chard, beet greens, kale and spinach). While we typically juice greens or use them in salads, why not puree them raw? They are tender and breakdown easily, and it's such an easy way to sneak in an extra nutrient punch. Then I started looking for anything green and delicious in the fridge. Thus arose a beautiful and bright concoction.

We agreed as taste testers that something is only considered a "concoction" until it has a name. "Green Goddess" is an overused title for a green dressing, green smoothies, or green liquid anything. Yet with my token male out of town this weekend, the last 3 days have been jam packed with lady fun. So we came upon this title to embody our energizing female connections over the past few risings and settings of the moon - 2 of which featured this dip.

Cooking note: if you don't have white miso or reduced fat Veganaise (or any kind of Veganaise), this dip will still be delicious. Just add a little more avocado and salt.

Green Diva Dip
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Prep time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients

1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c. edamame
1/4 avocado
1/4 small lemon, peeled (flesh and all, but no rind)
2 large scallions, white and green parts chopped
1/4 c. parsley
1-2 small garlic cloves, sliced
2 tsp. white miso paste (optional)
1 tsp. dried basil or 1 T. fresh basil
1/4 - 1/3 c. veggie broth
2 c. spinach
1/2 T. Reduced Fat Veganaise (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Sliced vegetables for dipping

Directions

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a food processor and puree. Slowly pour in broth through the chute until the mixture processes smoothly, without chunking up. Once the mixture is well pureed, add spinach and Veganaise (if using). Process for another 3-4 minutes or until smooth.

Serve with slice zucchini, jicama, carrots, radishes, cucumber, or celery.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas with Smokey BBQ Sauce

"I feel like something spicy for dinner."
"Like Indian?"
"Like Mexican. Refried beans and rice in a tortilla with hot sauce or something. Like a burrito."

The simple suggestions from my token omnivore are often what get my culinary wheels turning. In my head I'm thinking - burritos are simple. But we can do better.

After a bountiful trip to the farmers market this weekend, I came back with some "perfectly" sized sweet potatoes that seemed to have been grown just for me. At grocery stores, I often see sweet potatoes on steroids... a big orange reminder of American portion control issues. The tubers at the market were dainty and a petite, so I snagged a few to cook up single servings throughout the week. Well they also happen to cook more quickly, and when thinly sliced, fit perfectly inside a tortilla.

Chipotle and sweet potato, according to my palette, were made for each other. The smokiness and spice of the chipotle pepper can only be fully appreciated when paired with something sweet to accentuate its flavor (there is a reason Asian food is laced with sugar - sweet takes spicy to a new level). So I whipped up a quick BBQ sauce using a dollop of adobo sauce from canned chipotles. With a killer combination of sweet potatoes, Russet potatoes, and smooth refried beans, only a pinch of Daiya was needed to give these a full fledged, indulgently cheesy texture and taste.

The recipe for BBQ sauce is an approximation, so taste as you go and adjust accordingly. I also used a pinch of makeshift taco seasoning in each quesadilla. Though I included a recipe, packaged seasoning will work just fine. Get your glass of water ready, cuz these are smokin!

Sweet Potato Quesadillas with Smokey BBQ Sauce
Makes 4 quesadillas
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 small sweet potato, pierced a few times with a fork
1 medium Russet potato, pierced

4 whole wheat tortillas
1 c. Daiya
1+ c. refried beans
1 T. taco seasoning (recipe below)
1/2 c. Chipotle BBQ Sauce (recipe below)
Safflower or coconut oil
Fresh cilantro and green onions, chopped

Directions

First cook the potatoes: fill a medium sauce pan with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring water to a boil and add potatoes. Cook until potatoes feel tender but not mushy, about 10-15 minutes (you should be able to pierce easily with a fork, but not pull the fork out smoothly). Remove potatoes from water and pat dry. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

(While potatoes are cooking, prepare the taco seasoning and BBQ sauce.)

When cool enough to handle, slice the potatoes thinly into coin shapes, about 1/8 inch or slightly thinner. Set aside.

When ready to assemble, prepare one quesadilla at a time. Lay tortilla flat on a large plate and cover one half with a couple tablespoons of Daiya. Then cover cheese with a layer of alternating white and sweet potato slices. Spread the other half of the tortilla with about 1/4 cup (or 1/3 cup if you want a nice thick dilla). Sprinkle another couple of tablespoons of Daiya and a pinch of taco seasoning over everything. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce and fold carefully in half.

To cook, heat about 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add quesadilla when oil is hot and lower heat to medium. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes. Be careful with the first one, as the pan tends to stay really it hot and will burn the tortilla easily.

Garnish with another drizzle of BBQ sauce, fresh cilantro and green onions.

Taco Seasoning
Makes about 1 tablespoon
Prep time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in small bowl.

Smokey BBQ Sauce
Makes 1/2 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 c. ketchup
1 T. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. chipotle adobo sauce
2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Couple shakes of liquid smoke

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover a microwave for 45-60 seconds, or until sugar is dissolved. Adjust seasoning to taste.

New Years Day Brunch

After many many many moons of ringing in the New Year with Swedish Crepes and 50+ family members racing around a table set for 10, I’ve sought to start a New Year’s tradition in AZ. With the help of my curly red co-conspirator, this has been a success. We tried crepes one year, and it was a blast. But we were both stuck in the kitchen for a better part of the gathering. So this year, we decided to ditch the typical feast and create our own make-ahead, ready to bake meal.

And what an amazing meal it was. In searching for a make ahead savory dish, I wanted to prepare something that wasn’t a lot of work but really wowed people’s taste buds. I found this recipe on Epicurious and decided it would be ridiculously easy to veganize thanks to the amazing Trader Joe’s soyrizo stand-in. This was super easy to put together and held up really well overnight. Not to mention it was just as tasty as leftovers.

For a sweet counterpart, we chose to actually (well mostly) follow an actual recipe for vegan Baked French Toast. Now I have to admit, that I’ve been known to crash my vegan ways for my mom’s baked French toast, laden with about a dozen eggs and a carton of cream. I am SO happy we found this alternative. No, it’s not healthy. Yes it’s full of sugar. But it’s damn good. We forgot to pick up pecans and didn’t have any walnuts on hand, so we improvised with oats. It worked big time.

The real kicker of the meal however was our starter. BLT Bruschetta. I don’t even know how to illustrate how delicious these little bugger were. I did have to make a large batch of tempeh bac’un the day before, which was kind of a mess. Totally worth it. I prepared everything else the day of and this was the highlight of the meal for me. I even got a request for a particularly stubborn omnivore to patent this bacon recipe. While I do have one on my blog, I must admit that I strayed and tried a new one (but with the same technique of the old one). I don’t have it in my heart to share it yet because I’m hoarding all the credit. Someday I’ll finally let go and divulge the secrets.

Breakfast Polenta with Soyrizo
Makes: 16 servings
Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Feel free to skip any or all of the crazy polenta additions. I like my polenta to have a cheesy taste, and all of these small accoutrements create that cheesy flavor. But if you don't have them, this dish will still taste great. You can simply omit then and just season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients

6 c. water
½ bouillon cube (optional)
1 ½ c. polenta
¼ c. nutritional yeast
2 tsp. white miso
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. yellow mustard
½ tsp. turmeric

1 ½ pkg. Soyrizo (I like Trader Joe’s the best)
5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 3 cups)

Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Vegan feta or raw nut cheese (optional)

Directions

Lightly coat a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray. If preparing the night before, preheat oven to 400°F.

Prepare the polenta: In a large sauce pan, bring water and bouillon (if using) to a boil. Gently whisk in the polenta, adding it to the water in one steady stream. Continue stirring to avoid clumps. When polenta is boiling, reduce heat to low. Stir often while the polenta maintains a low bubble. Cook until almost tender, about 15-20 minutes. When the polenta starts to really thicken and pull away from the pan, stir in the remaining ingredients. Season with salt to taste. When the polenta is really sticky and pulling away at the pan, pour it into the baking dish in one even layer. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the soyrizo sauce: Coat a deep skillet or cast iron pan with cooking spray or a couple of teaspoons of oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the soyrizo and cook for about 5-7 minutes. When the soyizo is staring to brown on all sides, add the tomatoes. Increase heat to bring sauce to a brief boil and cook for 5 minutes. Lower heat to low and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Slightly mash up to the tomato pieces by smooshing with a fork or spatula. Remove from heat and pour over polenta.

At this point, you can garnish with cilantro and feta and serve, or you can prepare the dish the day before, let it sit overnight, and heat in oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbling.


BLT Bruschetta
Makes: 24-30 slices
Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Aioli
½ c. Veganaise
1 garlic clove
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

For the Bruschetta
2 10-inch Ciabatta loaves
2-3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
5-8 outer leaves of green lettuce (such as Boston leaf)
1 avocado, thinly sliced (optional)
1 ½ pkg. smokey tempeh or your own homemade Tempeh Bac’un

Directions

Prepare the aioli: Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until completely smooth. Set aside.

Make the toasts: Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the bread into ½ inch thick slices and spread out on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spray the tops with cooking spray and bake until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the bruschetta: Spread aioli on each toast with a knife or spatula. Carefully rip a few pieces of lettuce to fit the bread. Next place a couple of tomato slices and a slice of avocado over the lettuce. Finally top it off with with a strip of tempeh (cooked if using pre-packaged smokey tempeh bac’un*).

*Note: if you choose to make your own tempeh bac’un, this tastes best with the tempeh still warm and glazed from the pan. If you are buying premade smokey tempeh, fry the tempeh in a generous amount of cooking oil until brown on both sides to get a nice crispy texture.

Teeny Weeny Zucchini Bites

Ok they're not that teeny. And they are definitely note weeny. But they are surely zucchini.

Christmas Eve is usually a big hullabaloo consisting of lots of family, wine, loud chatter, dinner, carols, more wine and too many cookies. That’s Minnesota style holidays on my side of the family. But this year, we were on the Arizona rotation where there isn’t really a Christmas Eve tradition. So we decided to spend it, just me and my other half.

I had a crazy desire to make gnocchi because I thought it would be fun to make together. But it takes foooor-evvvvvv-er. Well it takes a while for the potatoes to bake anyway. Knowing we had a long wait ahead of us before any dinner would manifest, I turned to my favorite taste-tester and said “What would you like to nosh on whilst we await this glorious.

Fabulous idea it was. I had only made these once before and did not use breadcrumbs because of a gluten allergy in the audience of eaters. Well not this time, so I loaded up on the panko and added a pinch of vegan cheese. Oh boy, these suckers are making into the regular rotation for potlucks and entertaining. Simple ingredients, easy to make, and beautifully scrumptious. Not to mention they made a wonderful stand-in for the Christmas tree we did not set up.

Teeny Weeny Zucchiini Bites

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 T. plain soy yogurt

3 T. veganaise

¼ tsp. onion powder

2/3 c. panko

2 T. nutritional yeast

½ tsp. garlic salt

1/3 c. Daiya cheese or other vegan cheese

Optional: bac’un bits, crushed red pepper

1-2 small/medium zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds

Directions

Preheat oven to 400*F. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, veganaise and onion powder. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the panko, nutritional yeast and garlic salt and stir until well combine. Have the cheese nearby in another bowl for prep.

Dip each zucchini round in the yogurt mixture followed by the panko mix. Cover completely with crunchy coating and place on the baking sheet. Place a little pinch of Daiya or cheese. Top with a few bac’un bits or a few flakes of crushed red pepper if desired.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until crispy brown.

Portobello Barbacoa and Smokey Queso Spread

Turning something inherently carnivorous into a vegan masterpiece is one of my favorite things about cooking. Though I’ve had some success with roasts and loaves, mimicking popular meat dishes has its obvious challenges. Texture, flavor from fat and drippings, cook time, etc. At this point I’ve learned that it’s not about creating an exact replica, but creating an incredible, flavorful, delicious dish in and of its own. The real challenge? Appealing to the skeptics. They don’t always buy the fact that it doesn’t have to taste the same as the fleshy version to taste meatlessly delicious. So you have to set some realistic expectations.

The expectation I set when serving these Barbacoa bites: “Yo peeps! These are friggin’ awesome! No it’s not going to taste like the shredded beef that is typically used in Barbacoa. It’s not supposed to. No the Queso is not going to feel like gelatinous ball park cheez because it’s way better!” These are the real pictures that must be painted for non-believers. And I did. And it worked. I made this recipe as individual “bites” for work, and also made them as roll-ups for a pool party. Both versions were inhaled.

Who could blame these hungry hippos? This Barbacoa recipe is madness. Barbacoa is a style of slow cooking meat in Mexico and relates to the origination of “barbecue.” It’s really all about the sauce. And consistent with any barbecue master, I couldn’t help myself picking at the stringy Portobellos as they slow cooked for hours in a spicy marinade. You may have probably picked up on my obsession with vegan cheesy things as well, so needless to say the food processor and spatula did not have one speck of Queso dip after I was through with it. Finger lickin’ good!

Recommended toppings/accompaniments:

• slivered spinach or romaine
• salsa and/or fresh tomatoes
• vegan sour cream or Veganaise
• roasted green chili peppers
• fresh cilantro

 Recommended serving styles:

• tacos
• layered Dip
• burritos
• tortilla roll ups

Suggestion for Portobello preparation: slice the bellos into thin strings to cook in this recipe. Afterward you can pulse in a food processor to use as a spread if doing layered dip or roll ups.

Portobello Barbacoa
Makes: 6-8 Servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients

For the Marinade
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
3 T. lime juice
5 cloves garlic
3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 T. ground cumin
2 tsp. Mexican oregano
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. ground cloves¼ tsp. allspice

For the Shrooms
2 T. canola oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
4-6 Portobello mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thin (optional to remove gills)
Pinch of salt
Marinade

3/4 - 1 c. vegetable broth (from bouillon)

3 bay leaves

Directions

Place all marinade ingredients in a blender and puree until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the mushrooms.

In a large stock pot, heat canola oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds and cook until they start to pop. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat in cumin and cook 3-5 minutes. Add marinade, broth and bay leaves. Turn heat to low and simmer for 2-4 hours. If too spice or acidic, add a pinch of sugar.

Smokey Queso Spread
Makes: 1 ½ cups
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 can white cannellini beans
½ c. tomatoes
1/3 c. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. Miso paste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8-1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
Salt to taste

Directions

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until completely smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding more salt or cayenne for spice. Add more mustard or Miso for a sharper cheesy taste.

Petite Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

The aesthetics, the sheer beauty, the intrigue of many a mysterious vegetable have motivated me to try an abundance of unknown produce. Example: Patty pan squash. After being on vacation for a week and diving head first into the farmer's market, I was dazzled by how many new veggies had appeared while I was our of the country (frolicking in the meadows of a castle in Tuscany for my beautiful sister and her husband's wedding mind you). I of course went overboard with all of the new beautiful choices. Despite having to travel for work and moving into a new abode this next week, I still bought a whole fridge full of veggies!

Patty pan squash - these things are positively adorable. There aren't many vegetables that can be classified in that category, though any baby version of a bigger bulb like baby artichokes are definitely more appealing to me. Fiddleheads, those are in the cute category. Though the exterior of patty pans suggest they have something interesting going on inside, they taste very much like any old summer squash. What makes them special is how fun they are to play with. Nature itself built into each little tulip of a squash a serving platter with which you can fill glorious flavors and textures. Well, semi-built-in. You do have to perform a little manual work to get them to serve as cups, but you simply have to parboil them for a few minutes and scoop out the center. Easier than you think.

So after browsing a few recipes, I decided to just go with what was in my kitchen. With a 3-day-old rock hard baguette, I whipped up a very taste batch of homemade bread crumbs. If you have some good, stale bread, I recommend chopping it, toasting it (if needed) and running those crusty carbs through a food processor for a minute or two. Voila! Homemade bread crumbs that are far superior to store bought. If you do use store bought crumbs, use panko - it's crunchier. Add any seasonings or herbs you'd like. Next time I make this, I'll probably add a few tablespoons of walnuts. But I have to admit the bacon bits were perfect. Served on top a bed of blanched spinach with a pinch of sea salt...Delicioso!

Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
Makes: 6-8 squash
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients

6-8 medium patty pan squash
2 T. Earth Balance, divided
2 T. red onion or shallot, minced
1 T. garlic, minced (2-3 large cloves)
1/4 c. bread crumbs, homemade
1 T. meatless bacon bits
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 T. nutritional yeast (or parmesan for you omnivores that probably don't have nooch in the cupboard)
Fresh ground pepper
Spinach for serving
Directions

Fill a deep skillet or large shallow pot with 2 inches of water, heat over high heat and lay whole squash in pan, stem side up. When water is boiling, lower heat to medium and simmer squash about 5 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat, drain and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 400F. Set aside a muffin tin to hold the squash.

When squash are cool enough to handle, cut a circle around the top stem with a pairing knife. Using a spoon, scoop out the stem and any flesh with seeds from the center. Set aside and mince to use for the filling. Repeat with all remaining squash. Place prepared squash in muffin tin and make filling.

In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of Earth Balance over medium heat. When butter has melted, add minced onion and garlic. Cook on medium heat 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are becoming golden (but be careful not to burn). Add minced squash flesh and cook another 2-3 minute. Add remaining Earth Balance, breadcrumbs, bacon bits, rosemary and salt. Cook, stirringly constantly, until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Finally, add nutritional yeast, stirring to combine, and remove from heat. Set aside in a small mixing bowl.

Fill each squash to the brim with breadcrumb filling. Bake in oven for 15-20 minute or until tops are browned. Remove and serve!

Vegan Academy Awards Platter

Confession: we don’t have television. It’s less a confession than it is a conviction – I feel immense pride in not paying for broadcasted TV. Caveat: we do have Netlfix through the Xbox and sit down from time to time to enjoy television series and movies when there isn’t much on the agenda -on days where life actually slows down. I don't miss it, but I do typically "miss out" on award ceremonies celebrating today's top talen. I have increased my movie theater attendance this year and still enjoy a good gossip session about choice celebrity apparel at national televised events as though my feedback (and that of Joan Rivers) actually weighs on stars’ future decisions.

Thus my interest in the Academy Awards this year was slightly elevated and all the food newsletters and emails that flooded my inbox about Oscar Party Menus of course made me think, “what would I serve at an Oscars party? Maybe I should have thrown one…oh wait we don’t have television” Truthfully, I don’t know what I would serve at an Oscars party, because the single platter intended to tide 2 people over last night probably wouldn’t flow well on a larger scale with more people. But it was perfect for picking when only 2 sets of hands were at the plate.

We had assembled a similar plate in Napa a couple of weekends ago when we decided that it would be cheaper and more delicious for us to put together our own canapés or tapas than to spend a bunch of money on something we weren’t certain would be worth the cost. Plus we had our own kitchen and a Whole Foods nearby – so why not? Drink wine, (lots of it without worrying about the drive home), eat finger food, and chat the night away without being rushed to turn a table. I like this setup a lot. So last night when the inevitable “what’s for dinner” question came up – we settled on this and it was delish.

Ok yes – if you’re looking closely at the picture, you are looking at real salmon. Remember I share my life and love with an omnivore. I also respect others’ wishes to eat what they choose as I expect other to respect my own dietary decisions. But I’ve included a few recipes for mock salmon pate here that are fun and interesting. I personally like the first with chickpeas, but feel free to experiment with any funky pate or substitute pate altogether with good ole hummus. These recipes aren’t genius, there is no magic involved, no “aha!” moments, but it’s a fun way to put a meal together without a whole lot of effort.


Vegan Academy Awards Platter

Makes: 2-3 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Smoked Salmon
Your favorite “salmon” recipe – here are some suggestions
- Vegan Smoked “Salmon” Spread
- Mock Salmon Pate 1
- Mock Salmon Pate 2

Relish
3 medium radishes, grated
3 T. red pepper, minced
2 T. shallots, thinly sliced
2 T. capers, drained
1 T. caper brine + 2 tsp Dijon mustard

Roasted Veggies
1 parsnip, peeled and cubed
1 c. cauliflower flowerets
1 medium turnip
½ small onion
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper

For Toasts & Wraps
½ - 1 baguette, sliced ½ to ¾ inch thick
1 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
5-6 collard leaves, stems removed with leaves left whole

Directions

Follow your favorite mock salmon recipe if you’re going veg. Otherwise, I don’t want to know what you’re using and you don't have to tell me.

For the relish: mix the radishes, red peppers, shallots and capers in a small bowl. In another small bowl, stir brine and mustard together. Mix into vegetables and set aside.

For the roasted veggies: Preheat oven to 450° F. Combine all vegetables in a mixing bowl. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until veggies are tender. For best result, put oven on broil setting for the last 5-7 minutes to get crispy brown edges. Remove and set aside.

For the toast: Place oven on high broil setting. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush olive oil on each (one of both sides). Broil toasts for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. If you brushed olive oil on both sides, flip and broil another 2-3 minutes. If you are lazy like me, remove from heat and rub garlic clove onto each slice. Set aside.

To assemble: Arrange food on a large serving platter so that everyone can wrap or assemble their own food. Serve toasts with “salmon” and relish, wrap roasted veggies in the collard leaves. Serve with a glass of wine and unleash all uncensored commentary about Hollywood attire.

Arugula Tomato Pesto

There really isn’t a whole lot of story behind this recipe other than it being the first time I’ve successfully made something delicious out of this highly regarded leaf. Each time I have made a classic or creative attempt at cooking with arugula, I’ve always ended up with a puckered face from the pungent and peppery flavor that is signature to arugula. This is perhaps because my arugula comes from a farm that waits to harvest until its vegetables are fully developed…meaning I’m workin’ with some real, busty, adult arugula, not the mild baby kind you get from a nice fluffy bag at Whole Foods. The sturdy, mature lettuce is much more robust, if not abrasive, than it’s younger self. Aren’t we all.

Last year when arugula appeared in my produce bag from the farm, no lingering memories came to surface on my taste buds. I had certainly eaten it before, but my only prominent thought of arugula was, “Ah yes, that high class green that jeopardized Obama’s election.” This is the benefit of getting a weekly bag of surprise produce – you get the chance to not only cook with but become familiar with items knocked my Fox News. Cooking with new items I’ve only heard of is a true thrill and pleasure. Yet…sauce after sauce, salad after salad, and sauté after sauté….blatt! I could not get this crap to taste good! How does it have such an elite reputation? Bitter from the first to last bite and a spicy bitter at that. I like bitter and I like spicy, but they hardly appear together in my cuisine.

As expected, when my first bag of arugula surfaced this season, I fell into a sad little salad slump. So many enticing recipes – pear and arugula salad with walnut and pomegranate seeds, arugula orange salad with rose water dressing, blah blah blah. That’s for the baby stuff. I had to figure out a way to tone this bad boy down…tomatoes worked perfectly. After whipping it up with some garlic, tomatoes, and a generous pinch of NY the magic really happened when I added that drizzle of walnut oil. Instead of adding pine nuts as I would in a traditional pesto (mainly because I didn’t have any), I used a nut oil to replace olive oil. Holy walnut yum yum, this was fabulous. If you haven’t invested in a good bottle of walnut oil, you should seriously consider splurging the $10. That way when you have to explain to carnivores how you get your Omega-3s if you don’t eat fish, you have a suitable answer.

Arugula Tomato Pesto

Makes about 1 ½ cups
Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 c. Arugula
1 c. Yellow and/or red tomatoes, chopped
2 T. Nutritional yeast
½ T. Garlic, chopped
1 tsp. Walnut oil
½ tsp. Salt

Directions

Puree all ingredients in a food processor and adjust salt to taste. Serve over pasta or toasted baguette.

Potato Zucchini Cakes with Coconut Sauce

Despite choosing “potato” as the primary word for this recipe, this idea was all about the squash. I love my weekly share provided by Desert Roots Farm. There is nothing like a ripe batch of yellow pear tomatoes, freshly plucked green onions, or perfectly small apples to brighten up a Saturday morning when I pick up my bag of joy. Always surprise. Always inspiring. But right now - always a huge load of squash. My goodness, I had heard of squash being a long-lasting and high volume nuisance in the sense that you can’t make it stop growing once it springs from the ground. It’s hard to find ways to use it all and still be creative. I have 9 crooknecks waiting patiently in my crisper for that stroke of genius to hit – the moment where I discover a way to make summer squash pudding or sorbet perhaps.

This recipe may not have been a stroke of genius, but it does involve fusion. Thanks to my latest enthusiasm for the Indian realm of vegan cooking, inspiration is easier to find. I’m really into the flavors we learned in class at Indika in Houston and am determined to apply lessons instead of forgetting them. In class, my other half and I made a particularly scrumptious batch of Potato Cakes stuffed with Coconut Chutney, and I felt some serious pride in the final results. Most class members seemed to be impressed, but we had chef supervision and a commercial kitchen at our disposal. How am I to know if these lessons are effective if I don’t recreate at home? So my goal with this recipe was not to duplicate the original, but to make something using it as a foundation with my own interpretive twist.

While ideas for recipes often have far too many potential directions, this one was dead set on the concept of Indian cooking lessons using zucchini. I am now confident that my lessons will not be temporary or wasted – the cakes were delicious. The sauce was a risk and there will be many more versions. I only used mushrooms this time because of a sad portabella hanging out with some saggy gills. Maybe red peppers in the sauce next time? Maybe take the fennel out of the cakes and put it in the sauce? You tell me. But try it.

Potato Zucchini Cakes with Coconut Sauce
Makes 4-6 cakes

Prep time: 20-30 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 minutes

Ingredients

Potato Cakes
3-4 Red potatoes, boiled/steamed* & grated1 c. Zucchini or yellow summer squash, grated
1/3 c. Onion, minced
1/3 c. Breadcrumbs, homemade or store-bought
1 ½ T. Ginger, minced
1 ½ T. Garlic, minced
1 T. Jalapeno, minced
½ tsp Ground cumin
½ tsp Fennel seed
½ tsp Salt
Canola oil for pan frying

Coconut Sauce
1 tsp. Canola oil
¾ c. Mushrooms, minced (optional)
½ T. Garlic, minced
½ T. Ginger, minced
¼ tsp Salt
2/3 c. Coconut milk, light or regular
1 tsp Cornstarch + 2 T. Water

For protein: 1 c. Mung beans or lentils, cooked
For garnish: ½ c. Red bell pepper, finely diced

*When you cook the potatoes, be careful not to over cook them. Otherwise these will be less like latkes and more nuggets. Which might be ok with you. It might be ok with me too. Also be careful not to undercook them or the cakes won’t hold together. It’s not as hard as it sounds.

Directions

For the Potato Cakes: In a medium bowl, combine the all ingredients and adjust the seasoning to taste. Working with 2-3 inch pieces in hand, form mixture into patties. Add breadcrumbs if mixture isn’t sticking well. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and fill up to ¼ inch with cooking oil. Use a piece of scrap or stray veggie to test the readiness of the oil – if the oil bubbles excitingly over the tester scrap, it’s ready. Place cakes in the pan and cook on each side until edges are brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Set cakes aside on a plate lined with a couple of paper towels to pat them dry.

For the Coconut Sauce: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add mushrooms (if using), garlic, ginger and salt. Cook until mushrooms are very tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add coconut milk and cornstarch mixture. Cook until just starting to thicken, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble: Place 2-3 potato cakes on each plate and cover each serving with half of the beans (if using). Drizzle coconut sauce over cakes and garnish with red pepper.

Spicy Lentil Hummus with Chapati

I’ve embarked on a recent journey toward the world of fresh and dry legumes, parting ways with my former reliance on canned beans. While I miss the ease of reaching into the cupboard and relative ease of opening a can (our can-opening device is slightly defunct), I can adjust to the lifestyle of dried beans. Types that need a good soak before cooking require more planning, but they are truly superior in taste to canned versions. Creamier on the inside, firmer on the outside – I don’t know anyone that likes the soggy mushiness of canned beans after having tasted a fresh batch. Even bean purees are much tastier, which is what lead to this Indian version of a middle eastern staple.

As for my health tangent of the day – most of us keep hearing about BPA as the latest bizarre and potentially harmful compound invading food packaging for whatever reason cheapie commercial manufacturers give. BPA is illegal in many countries and linked, however convincingly, to a whole gamut of maladies. And not so good ones to boot. Despite many companies having stepped up to discontinue the use of BPA in plastic bottles, canned food is still BPA strong and stubborn due to lack of strong evidence of its adverse affects. I don’t care how many studies it takes to make the FDA buck up and lay down the BPA law, I can live without it. So long my BPA-laced convenience!

Back to the beans: we were having a couple of people over last minute for the 4th of July and because of the late notice, I had not spent my typical 3-5 days planning the edible entertainment. The crowd was small and wasn’t going to be starving or expecting food, but in my house any guest equals food and I still needed to eat. My default in this case: hummus, chips and salsa, and fresh fruit. Going back to the fact that beans take some planning…I didn’t have any soaked chickpeas or canned beans. My ready-to-cook selection consisted of mung beans and lentils. I love mung beans, but they are not the best chickpea stand-ins for hummus. Lentils however were a fabulous alternative.

Having recently attended a vegan cooking class at a superb Indian restaurant in Houston, I learned a few lovely spice combinations during my time at Indika. What better opportunity to apply new knowledge than a small gathering where people may or may not eat? It takes the pressure off of the testing phase, and a chance at fusion made it even more thrilling. Aside from spices, we also got an impromptu lesson from the chef herself about making Indian flatbread made from garbanzo flour. Though I had garbanzo flour, which I used in the hummus recipe, I decided to try it with plain ole whole what flour. Zero leftover and a double batch the next day….pretty good results.

Spicy Lentil Hummus with Chapati

Makes 2 c. Hummus and 8-9 Flatbreads

Total Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the Hummus
½ c. Lentils, dry or 1 ½ c. cooked*
¾ c. Chickpeas, cooked or canned (drained & rinsed if using canned)*
1 ½ T. Tahini
1 T. Lemon juice, freshly squeeze
1 T. Garlic, chopped
1 T. Jalapeno, chopped
¾ T. Fresh Ginger, chopped
½ tsp. Ground cumin
½ tsp. Sea salt
¼ heaping tsp. Garam masala

For the Chapati
1 c. All purpose or whole wheat flour
¼ tsp. Salt
Water
Olive oil

* I cooked dry lentils and used the cooking liquid with Bob’s Red Mill garbanzo bean flour instead of actual chickpeas. To do it this way, bring 1 cup of the lentil liquid (or add enough water to lentil liquid to make 1 cup) to a boil and whisk in ¼ cup of garbanzo flour. Lower heat to medium low and simmer about 3-4 minutes – clumps are ok. Pour into food processor with lentils.

Directions

For the hummus: If lentils are dry, cooking in 3 cups of liquid by bringing lentils and water to a boil with a pinch of salt and 1 bay leaf. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils (reserving liquid if using method above) and place in food processor. Combine remaining ingredients in food processor and process until completely smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste, using more or less jalapeno depending on your spice preference.

For the chapati: In a medium mixing bowl, combine four and salt and mix well. Slowly add ¼ cup water at a time until you have a stiff dough. If dough is too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour. If too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Roll into a ball and place in refrigerator wrapped in plastic for 1 hour.

Once the dough has sat, knead again for another 5 minutes. Tear off a hunk of dough and roll into a ball about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Repeat with the rest of the dough which should yield 8-9 pieces. Coat dough with cooking spray or olive oil and roll each ball out into a small flat disk, about 1/8 inch think and 5 inches in diameter. Heat a dry electric or stovetop griddle over medium heat. Place however many pieces you can easily fit without crowding. Cook 30-45 seconds on the first side and flip over. Cook until golden spots appear on other side. Flip once more and press each chapati with a cloth until if puffs up. Repeat with remaining chapati.

Vegan Entertaining! Southwest Summer Spring Rolls & More

Hooray for another party! Another reason to cook! Another reason to EAT. Memorial Day has previously been an underappreciated holiday for me, but I now understand and value its critical timing (Hello…No days off between MLK Day and now?) and its All-American fervor. As stated in a recent post, I don’t explore American cuisine very much, but this holiday was calling me. So I set out to cook up some grub that could appeal to the average racecar lovin’, trucker hat wearin’, sunburn coated American. While throwing burgers and brats on the grill is the typical way to welcome summer, this vegan can’t pass up the chance to prove that meatless eats go beyond packaged goods and our options are more extensive than beans. Why would I just buy some tofu pups and veggie burgers when I could spend 6 hours cooking something way too elaborate for a simple pool party?

So in searching through Memorial Day menus and recipes, a few ensuing questions came to mind in my search for inspiration. What do my coworkers usually bring to potlucks? What do I normally see at picnics that I can never eat? Layered dip. Check! Rolls or wraps of sorts always laced with cream cheese or ground pork. Coleslaw, duh. And there never fails to be a scrumptious looking dessert that could so easily be made vegan if you replaced the butter with Earth Balance…which led to the following menu.

• - 7 Layer Taco Dip
• - Salsa and Queso
• - Southwest Summer Rolls
• - Purple Coleslaw
• - Apple Crisp

 Holy cow did I binge on some taco dip. I also ate about 3 “practice” summer rolls before the party even started and I am still happily finishing the last of the purple slaw that somehow made it through as leftovers (ok it was a huge batch). I’m still not over that layered dip though. While I made my own vegan sour cream and taco seasoning, you could easily purchase toffuti, some pre-mixed seasoning and packaged seitan to make this super quickly. This queso is a perfected vegan nacho cheese recipe that I make about once a week by request from my token omnivore.

The purple coleslaw was the result of have too many veggies in the crisper in quantities too small to stand alone in any dish. So I combine red cabbage, broccoli stalks, carrots and cucumbers together in one happy purple mess. The dressing was based off a traditional recipe but made healthy by mixing in some leftover homemade vegan sour cream into a standard sweet red wine vinaigrette instead of loading it with a bunch of mayo and sugar.

The apple crisp – not much needs to be said. It’s like a traditional recipe but with Earth Balance instead of butter. Lots of oats on top with some pecans to boot. Crumble it up with some margarine and throw it over sliced apples. Delicious.

And the All-Star Summer Rolls…. Inspired by the famous Chile’s southwest egg roll appetizer, these were by far the favorite. I’ll admit I stumbled on the recipe for the Chile’s version and used it as a starting point. I added more veggies of course and replace the chicken with marinated tofu. I then baked them instead of deep-frying and served them without a dip – because they don’t need anything to cover up their deliciousness! These are super easy even if you make your own tofu. The assembly of course is the most time consuming, but this is worth it for special occasions. To save time, buy the pre-baked and pre-seasoned tofu whose texture is just right for these. I’d also recommend Daiya cheese for the filling: it’s my favorite.

Southwest Summer Rolls
Makes: 14-16 rolls
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 pkg. Extra Firm Tofu, pre-marinated and baked or homemade (recipe below)

1 T. Olive or canola oil

2 Green onions, sliced - white and green parts divided

2 Garlic cloves, minced

¾ c. Mixed bell peppers, diced

½ c. Corn, fresh or frozen (thawed)

½ c. Spinach, cooked or frozen (thawed)

½ tsp. Chili powder

½ tsp. Ground cumin

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper

½ c. Vegan cheese, grated (i.e. Daiya - Italian)

1 pkg. Spring roll wrappers

Directions

If you are using pre-baked and marinated tofu, cut the block into ¼ inch thick slices, about 12-14 per block. Cut each individual slice into 3 or 4 matchsticks and set aside. For homemade baked tofu, do not cut into matchsticks until you have baked the tofu. To make your own marinated baked tofu, see below.

To make the filling, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions, garlic and peppers until vegetables are just tender, 4-5 minutes. Add corn, spinach and spices and cook until corn and spinach are heated through (the peppers should not be al dente but not mushy). Remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. While mixture is still hot, fold in vegan cheese until well blended and melted. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

To assemble, place one spring roll wrapper on a plate or cutting board. Have a small bowl of water and a brush set aside to help seal the rolls. Fill each wrapper with 2 T. of filling and 3-4 pieces of tofu. Brush the top edge with water, about ½ inch down. Starting at the bottom, fold the bottom edge over the filling and secure the filling tightly. Fold each side of the wrapper over the outside edges of the filling and finish by rolling upwards. Press the edge firmly and set aside. Repeat with remaining wrappers. Brush each with canola oil or coat all sides with cooking spray. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until starting to brown. Turn the rolls over and bake an additional 10-13 minutes, or until rolls are golden and crispy.


Marinated Baked Tofu
Makes: 12-16 slices
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 pkg. Extra-firm tofu, sliced into ¼ inch thick rectangles

¼ c. White wine or sherry
3 T. Red wine vinegar
3 T. Olive or canola oil
2 T. Soy sauce
2 T. c. Lemon or lime juice, Freshly squeezed
1 tsp. Chili powder*
1 tsp. Ground cumin*
½ tsp. Garlic powder
½ tsp. Onion powder
½ tsp. Paprika*
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp. Black or cayenne pepper

* Note: This is a southwest marinade. The recipe can be used for any dish by toning down the southwest spices. For a basic marinade, only add onion and garlic powders, salt and pepper.

Directions

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Place tofu on paper towels and cover with additional paper towels. Pat dry to ensure most of moisture is removed. Place slices in a glass baking dish and set aside.

Whisk all marinade ingredients together and adjust seasoning to taste. Pour over tofu and flip tofu over to coat all sides. Bake for 15 minutes and flip tofu pieces. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until all the marinade is absorbed.

Vegan Entertaining: Mango Avocado Salsa, Glazed Ratatouille, Muhummara

As I’ve openly admitted in a previous post, one of the perks of moving to a new home is the excuse to party. For me the excitement lies in cooking for guests of course, but hosting others is what I love best. Last weekend, I was very much looking forward to having all of our friends over, subtly stuffing them with vegan delights both savory and sweet and embracing the inevitable house guest shock that nothing on the table contains butter, dairy or eggs. A parade of recipe requests is another pleasant result that is as reassuring as it is encouraging for the vegan chef whose lasso consists of these small culinary triumphs in order to rope others into the meatless life – I swear my intent is not as vindictive as that may have sounded. Conversion is never the goal, but awareness is and enthusiasm is a plus.

When I started menu planning for the event, there was a definite issue with numbers and ease of preparation. While I’m used to the feeling of being in over my head in order to indulge in some hostess fantasy involving complicated and interesting eats enjoyed by even the most cautious of eaters, this was not one of those times I was willing to go crazy folding samosa over samosa. There were too many people to feed and I was going for too much variety to spend half a day on just one item. I stuck with some familiar fare along with some mildly adventurous options. Everything was easy to prepare, with the exception of the apple tart whose challenge was only the perfect crust. I’m not a dough guru yet. Looking over my carte du jour, I started to feel a little plain – salsa, hummus, baguette, chips, etc…but I had to get over my desire to have an eccentric spread for the very first large gathering at the house. After all, I did want these people to return for future bashes.

So the menu was as follows and I’ll include some recipes here for the most popular hits. One certain winner was the Mango Avocado Salsa whose sweet flavor and smooth texture was skipped by hardly anyone. Another was the Heart Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies, whose recipe I took from Vegetarian Times.

A pleasant surprise was the reaction to Muhummara, a Turkish red pepper and walnut spread. That one has definitely made it to the party staple list. Some items that need improvement include the Vegan Goat Cheese Spread taken from Bryanna Clark Grogan’s blog –it wasn’t disgusting, but it did not taste like goat cheese nor did it have even a mildly similar texture. Isa Moskowitz’s Vegan Cornbread recipe from the PPK was good, but needs some enhancements – some reviewers suggested a pinch of brown sugar or jalapenos for a much needed flare. On the whole, these were still well-received.

 

Housewarming Noshes

Savory

 Chips & Salsa – Black Bean Salsa, Mango Avocado Salsa

 Potato Chips & Vegan Goat Cheese Spread

 Pita & Tasty Trio of Dips– Hummus, Muhummara, Black Olive Parsley Tapenade

 Roasted Vegetables – Rosemary Red Potatoes & Asparagus, Glazed Ratatouille

Sweet
 Fresh Fruit Platter – Papaya, Kumquats, Blueberries, Strawberries, Cantaloupe
 Heart Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies
 Cornbread – Plain, Blueberry

 French Apple Tart

Mango Avocado Salsa

Makes: 4-5 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

3 Mangoes, ripe but still firm to the squeeze

2 Avocados, ripe but firm to the squeeze

1 Jalapeno*, seeded and minced

½ Large red onion, finely diced (about ¾ c.)

1/3 c. Cilantro, chopped

2 T. Lime juice, freshly squeezed

1 tsp. + Olive oil

1 tsp. Salt

* Adjust the jalapeno amount to your personal spice preference. If you have a mild jalapeno, use at least one. If you have a very hot jalapeno, you may want to start with ½ and adjust from there.

Directions

To cut mango – with a large knife, cut flesh and peel from around core by slicing 4-5 large chunks from the sides. Slice each chunk into ¾ to 1 inch wide pieces. Slice knife between flesh and peel to remove peel (similar to cutting up cantaloupe). Dice sections and place in large mixing bowl.

To cut avocado – cut in half around seed and pull apart. Remove seed and peel. Dice and place in mixing bowl with mango along with jalapeno, red onion and cilantro.

Whisk lime juice, olive oil and salt together in small bowl. Pour over salsa and stir to coat well. Taste and adjust salt and/or lime juice level. If salsa is too tart, add additional olive oil.

Glazed Ratatouille

Makes: 6-8 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Vegetables

1 Large eggplant
4 Summer squash (green and yellow)
1 Sweet white or yellow onion
3 T. Olive oil, divided
2 tsp Salt, divided
1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper, divided

For the Glaze
1 14 oz can Diced tomatoes or 2 c. fresh tomatoes, chopped
½ c. Water
3 T. Balsamic vinegar
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Sugar
Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450˚F.

Remove and discard eggplant stem and cut into large cubes (1 ½” inches). Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle 1 tsp salt over cubes. Let sweat for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the remaining vegetables.

Remove squash stems and slice into ½” inch thick pieces. Slice onion and combine with squash in large bowl. Coat with 1 ½ T. olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Spread vegetables over baking sheet and roast in oven until brown and tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and set aside in serving dish or platter.

Returning to eggplant, squeeze out any remaining moisture using paper towels. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and coat with 1 ½ T. olive oil and ½ tsp black pepper. Spread eggplant over baking sheet and roast in oven until browned, 25-30 minutes. Remove and set aside in dish on top or mixed in with the squash-onion mixture.

While vegetables are roasting, make the glaze. Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a small sauce pan. Reduce heat to medium-high, leave mixture at a medium boil until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and add sugar. Let simmer another 3-5 minutes until sauce is thick. Season with pepper to taste and additional salt if necessary. Pour glaze over vegetables without stirring in completely.

Muhummara
Makes about 1 cup
Prep time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 Large red bell pepper
¾ c. Walnuts
1 clove garlic
½ T. Pomegranate molasses
1 tsp. Lemon juice
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Cayenne or crushed red pepper*
* Adjust to your spice level – start with ¼ tsp and add more to taste.

Directions

Place oven on high broil setting. Broil whole red pepper, turning occasionally, until skin is blackened and blistered on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside in a paper bag. Let sit until cool enough to handle, 5-10 minutes. Remove skin, stem and seeds.Place pepper and remaining ingredients in food processor and pulse until walnuts are well-ground but still a bit chunky. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Herbed Butternut Squash Cakes with Wild Rice Pilaf

Visiting my family is one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend particularly when the snow has melted in Minnesota and I don’t have to brace myself for the bitter subzero shock that inevitable freezes my poor Arizona-adjusted body. Aside from being lovely, intelligent, humorous and incredibly entertaining, my family members are also pretty adventurous eaters. They have embraced my crazy vegan ventures with open minds for the most part and limited judgment, seating whatever I put on the table and listening to my veggie banter with genuine, if not sometimes divided, attention. I am amazed by how my personal decisions and adjustments regarding food have actually impacted their diets, even if I continue to harp sometimes about a stray high-fructose-laced box of cereal bars (ok they would tell you it’s all the time). I truly admire and am deeply grateful that they’ve taken so many strides to be conscious consumers – it’s a long and hard road to health in this country, that’s for sure.

So with each Minnesota visit comes a somewhat elaborate vegan feast. I, more or less humbly, secretly dote on demands that I cook at home, because I am more than eager to produce another plant-based meal on this planet that may have otherwise been meat-infested. Menu planning can be positively challenging, however, particularly when the northern farmers markets are in the last stages of hibernation before the first spring picks are ready. I say “positively” because it’s not necessarily difficult to plan and the available resources are generally inspiring: the bulbous root vegetable bunch, the cruciferous crew, and the beloved winter squash family. Wild rice is another valuable ingredient, not to mention a local specialty that is delicious and gluten-free (still trying really hard to limit wheat these days). The challenge lies in the timing and the crowd. When it feels like spring before it actually is spring, how do you make a bright meal out of winter crops?

The more personal challenge lies with the audience. The real menu planning challenge is making a meal taste un-vegan and family friendly without putting a plate in front someone that looks completely foreign. Though my family is generally open, I don’t typically cook outlandish, exotic meals unless we have a themed night plan where everyone knows we’ll be eating Ethiopian or Indonesian. The chef in me often wants to prepare a 5-6 dish gourmet spread. The daughter, sister, and aunt in me brings me down reminds me though that the best way to have an effective vegan influence is to prepare not necessarily omni-preferred analogues, but something that is equally familiar as it is exploratory. Though anything foreign has to be snuck in gently, it pays dividends to both eager-to-please chef and hesitant eater.

Results: the taste and feel of this meal matched the chilly but sunny limbo weather perfectly! It wasn’t a spring meal in terms of crunch pods or baby greens, but it was a far cry from a heavy winter goulash. With a side of steamed broccoli, it was a delectable brightness to inspire enough freshness to tide everyone over until spring comes in a couple of weeks. As for the other challenge – when your meal has gained the approval of a 14-month old and his incredibly wary mother, you know you’ve pulled of some special vegan magic.

Tip: To make this all together, use one medium or large butternut squash. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Leaving the peel on, microwave the bottom half (the round half) in a glass dish filled with ¾” water on high for 6-7 minutes or until very tender. Peel the top half, cube and use in the wild rice pilaf.

Herbed Butternut Squash Cakes

Makes 10 small cakes (3” diameter)

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 tsp. Sage, dried
¾ tsp. Garlic powder
½ tsp. Marjoram, dried
½ tsp. Thyme, dried
½ tsp. Onion powder
Dash of ground cloves, nutmeg, or allspice
2 T. Soy sauce
½ c. Boiling water
1 c. TVP
1 ½ c. Butternut Squash, cooked and mashed
2-4 T. Corn flour or masa (as needed)
Pepper to taste
¼ c. Canola oil

Directions

Mix together first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk in soy sauce and mix until well blended. Pour hot water into herb mixture and whisk well.

Place TVP in a medium bowl, pour seasoned water over TVP and stir to blend in herbs. Let hydrate for 5-10 minutes or until TVP has absorbed all of the liquid and is soft in texture. Mix in the mashed squash and pepper to taste. Add flour as needed if the mixture does not hold together well. Mix with hands and form into small patties. Transfer cakes to a medium baking dish coated with cooking spray and refrigerate patties 15-30 minutes to set. Preheat oven to 450˚F.

After cakes have set, bake in oven 10-15 minutes or until the cakes feel firm to the touch. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat canola oil over high heat in a large frying pan until oil is very hot. Place each cake carefully in oil and fry until cakes are browned and crispy on the outside, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set on a paper towels to absorb excess oil.


Wild Rice Pilaf
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

2/3 c. Wild Rice
3 c. Water

½ T. Olive oil
1 ½ c. Butternut squash, uncooked and cubed
Salt and pepper

1 T. Olive oil
½ Medium onion, chopped
2 Large celery stalks, chopped
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Thyme
½ tsp. Salt
1 Red bell pepper, chopped
Vegetable broth (as needed)
Pepper to taste.

Directions

Bring water and rice to a boil. When water starts to boil, turn heat to low and simmer until rice is tender, 50-60 minutes. Drain (if necessary) and set aside.

Preheat oven to 450˚F.

In a medium mixing bowl, coat squash with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in oven 25-35 minutes or until brown and crispy on edges. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and celery until transparent, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and salt and cook an additional minute. Add red bell pepper and ¼ cup of vegetable broth to deglaze pan if too dry. Cook mixture until vegetables are just tender, 5-6 minutes. Mix in wild rice and butternut squash and let cook until all liquid has evaporated. Season with pepper and additional salt to taste.