kitsch & kitchen

Traditional Potato Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sun, 07 Jul 2013 20:08:00 +0000

Ah, potato salad! My favorite dish to bring to summer potlucks, serve at our backyard BBQ's, or just to make a huge bowl of to munch on throughout the week during the summer. Though there are lots of variations of this classically summer dish, I find that my vegan version of a traditional creamy potato salad is one of the first sides to disappear at any gathering.

Ingredients

For the salad

3 lbs baby red potatoes, cooked, cubed, and cooled
½ med sweet onion, chopped (I prefer Walla Walla sweets)
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
5 dill pickle spears, chopped
½ cup finely cubed extra firm tofu (optional. I use the tofu to emulate the hard boiled eggs found in traditional tater salad, but it's totally up to you if you want to use)

For the sauce

1¼ cup veganaise
2 Tbs dill pickle juice
1 tsp mustard
1½ Tbs nutritional yeast
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp garlic salt
1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt
Few dashes smoked paprika (optional)

Directions

Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and set to the side. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all the sauce ingredients together. Stir in the onion, parsley, pickles and tofu until all ingredients are combined. Add the sauce mix to the potatoes and gently stir until all the potatoes are covered in sauce. Place in the fridge for a few hours and enjoy by the bowlful.

Seasonal Fruit Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 18:42:00 +0000

One of my favorite things about summer is fruit salad. So simple, satisfying to my sweet tooth, and super refreshing. But one of the best things is how many different ways fruit salad can be made. I like to just go to the farmers market, grab whatever is around and just throw everything in a bowl. And now that sweet cherries are in full season, and the rest of the stone fruits have just started to appear, its time for one of my all time favorite fruit salads.

Ingredients:
3 peaches, pitted and roughly chopped
3 red plums, pitted and roughly chopped
1 lb. sweet cherries (I generally use Bing or Rainer)
2 cups blackberries
approx 1/8 cup fresh mint chiffonade

Mix all ingredients together in a bog class or ceramic bowl and chill in the fridge for an hour or so. Bring to a vegan BBQ or eat as a delicious snack while lazily lounging in a hammock in the sun.

Cranberry Sauce Two Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 23:09:00 +0000

Oh cranberry sauce, the underrated thanksgiving side dish that sometimes feels more like obligation than a joy to eat. But it doesn't have to be that way. With a few simple additions, cranberry sauce can go from the unwanted party guest to a side that shines.

Cranberry sauce is super easy to make, and there are so many ways to flavor cranberry sauce that is about a million times better than the canned stuff. This year I made a few different kinds for thanksgiving gifts–one cranberry-orange style, and one red wine and rosemary style.

Red Wine and Rosemary Cranberry Sauce

2 cups dry red wine
2 1/2 cups sugar
24 dried Turkish apricots, roughly chopped
2 6" springs of fresh rosemary
juice from 2 meyer lemons
zest from 2 meyer lemons
1.5 lbs. fresh cranberries

Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in cranberries. Cook over medium heat until liquid is slightly reduced and berries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove rosemary. Cool. Transfer sauce to bowl and serve, cool and refrigerate for up to a week, or can for later use. Yields 3 pints.

Orange-Cranberry Sauce

2 cups orange jucie
2 1/2 cups sugar
Zest from one navel orange
1/8 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
2 4" cinnamon sticks
Insides from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 Tbs fresh grated giner
1.5 lbs. fresh cranberries

Combine first 7 ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in cranberries. Cook over medium heat until liquid is slightly reduced and berries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks. Cool. Transfer sauce to bowl and serve, cool and refrigerate for up to a week, or can for later use. Yields 3 pints.

Protein Packed Breakfast Muffins (Gluten-free) Revised

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:48:00 +0000

After some feedback that the original recipe I posted for these muffins were turning out to wet, I've revised the recipe a little bit, and here's a better, dryer recipe. The most recent batch I made were with Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes, black berries, and cocoa nibs. Delish.

These muffins are perfect for breakfast. They are hearty and dense and pack enough of a protein punch to help keep you going for hours. Seriously- after one of these muffins, a cup of coffee and some vitamin d, I go outside and yell "Bring it on world!" (Okay, maybe I just face my morning full of energy with a smile... same difference)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups almond meal
1/2 cup hazelnut meal
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
4Tbs ground flax seeds whisked with 12 Tbs warm water
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1 cup mashed sweet potato* (cooked)
1/4 cup olive oil

Optional:
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa nibs
2/3 cup raspberries, mashed**
If you are adding in optional ingredients (other than cocoa nibs), add in 1/2 cup ground hazelnut or 1/3 ground almond meal to counter the addition of wet ingredients.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mash or use immersion blender (or beater/ electric mixer) to blend all the wet ingredients into a smooth batter. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and then mix into the wet ingredients with a spoon. Scoop into a lined muffin tin (about 1/3 cup per tin). Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until batter has been cooked through. Eat, then conquer world.

*I have been using purple sweet potato (Okinawan potato) for muffins where I am using dark berries like blackberries or blueberries, as it gives the muffins a rich dark purple color, and orange sweet potatoes for red berries, pineapple and carrots as the muffins will be pink or orange.

**You can switch out the raspberries for any berry, or pineapple for sweeter muffins. For a savory muffin, substitute raspberries with shredded zucchini or carrot.

Roasted Chickpeas

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:12:00 +0000

Better than popcorn, and growing more popular by the nano-second, these little treats pop in your mouth and explode with flavor (and the flavor combos are endless–sweet or savory, take your pick) and are super addictive. You'll be hard pressed not to eat a whole bowl in one sitting. I just did.

Ingredients:
15 oz. cooked chickpeas
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons spices (I used Cajun seasoning, but you can use anything you like. Like I said, the possibilities are endless)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drain cooked chickpeas and pat dry with a towel. toss in olive oil and spices, and roast for 30-40 minutes, until chickpeas are crispy and no longer soft. Eat to your hearts content.

Zucchini Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:10:00 +0000

This is a recipe my mom used to make in the summer to get rid of the zucchini that grew in our garden. I've adapted it, and it remains one of my favorite summer dishes.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups diced or grated zucchini
1 chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 cup baking mix (e.g. Bisquick or other such mix. I use gluten-free bisquick or Bob's red mill gluten-free baking flour. if using a standard flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder)
3/4 cup extra firm silken tofu, blended
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds whisked with 3 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup vegan "cheese" (I use Daiya cheddar shreds)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Turn oven to 350 degrees (f). Mix tofu, flax seed mixture, oil, baking mix, and seasonings until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir until vegetables are evenly coated. pour into deep dish pie pan and cook for 30-40 minutes, until top is nicely browned and middle is cooked through.

Daily lunch

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 19:03:00 +0000

Every day lately, I roast veggies from my CSA box from lunch, throw in a Tofurky sausage, and top with nutritional yeast and chipotle powder. It's awesome. This bunch included broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, and potato. Delish!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Vegan "Pulled Pork" Sammie...Food Truck Style

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Maximus Minimus has arrived and is rocking it on 2nd and Pike in downtown Seattle almost daily. the the menu is minimal, they do have an awesome vegan sandwich that is a bit like a cross between a sloppy joe and a pulled pork sandwich. It's loaded with cooked grains (I'm pretty sure there's some barley in there...) in delicious spicy (maximus) OR sweet (minimus) sauce and covered with cilantro, and served on a stellar whole grain bun. Add a rosemary lemonade and the day is made! And the truck itself? Well, that's one big-ass pig I would totally kiss!

OMG! cute posters for the kitchen.

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 17:42:00 +0000

my awesome wife just sent me a link to the cutest minimalist posters ever! I'm getting this one for my kitchen.

Adventures in Portland, part one

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sat, 14 May 2011 23:57:00 +0000

The wife and I took an impromptu mini vacation and went down to Portland, Oregon for a few days. We saw some friends, walked in the sunshine, and drank Oly on the porch while enjoying books we had bought at at Powell's (city of books). We also ate at quite a few places. One of the treats we enjoyed was a pineapple basil sorbet at Ruby Jewels. Refreshing and subtly earthy, it was a perfect sweet treat to accompany a walk down Mississippi and a browse through Land (where we bought a few Nikki McClure posters and I got this sweet shirt). It was fun to get out of town for a few days, but I'm glad to be home.

New Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:00:00 +0000

Just finished up this little quilt and popped it in the mail. I hope my friend Andrew receives it soon, and his kid is still in that cute baby stage in which they roll around on quilts and the like (I am notoriously bad at finishing projects in a timely manner). This quilt marks the 4th I have completed, and I am stoked about how this one turned out. It may be a little hippie-ish for Andrew, but I wanted to give his kid something to balance all the butt-rock I know he will be subject to as he grows up. At any rate, many belated congrats to my old friend Andrew, and I was so happy to have another excuse to make another quilt.

An Open Letter to My Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Tue, 10 May 2011 03:18:00 +0000

Dear Blog,

I am sorry I have been neglectful. I promise I have a few posts coming soon, mostly in the crafty side of things, but nonetheless...

You see, I have been consumed as of late with quite a major undertaking. I am acting quite manic, to tell you the truth, and haven't been cooking or crafting very much, or basically doing anything outside of looking at thousands of negatives, slides, and photographic prints from the last 100 years that have come into my life.

I apologize, and promise I will return in a cooking frenzy in a few weeks, once the initial steps of the project have been laid to rest.

Thank you for understanding,

Colleen

P.S. It's true, I am slightly cheating on you, but I promise it's for a good reason.

Old School Photos... Like, REALLY Old School

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 02:20:00 +0000

I forgot when I started this little blog, that I was going to aim for 75% recipe posts, and fill the other 25% with craftyness, kitschyness, and bitchiness. Well, that percentage is currently way out of whack, and considering my life has been insanity lately and I've been living off of cheerios, salad, and tofurky brats, I haven't posted much lately because I forgot I could write about stuff other than food.

One of the things that I've been kept busy by in the last few weeks is looking through the one hundred years of photographs that my grandmother has collected in her life. I've looked through hundreds of photographs, slides and negatives in the last week, and that is not a hyperbole. I can now identify what my mother and my aunt looked like at any age in their childhood (though truthfully, that one is kind of easy considering I am the spitting image of my mother). I can also identify what my grandmother, my two great aunts, and my two great uncles looked like at any age, from three years old until they were well into their eighties.

I can tell you my mother and I look like my grandmothers mother, and I can tell you that my grandmother and my aunt take after the women in my grandmothers fathers family. This essentially means I look Norwegian and my grandmother looks English. I could tell you alot of things I have learned in the last week, but that's for another day. Right now I want to share some old school photographs, and when I say old school, I mean one-room school old. I mean walking 20 miles in the snow, uphill, both ways, old.

The following photos were taken by my great grandmother, on the open prairies of Alberta, Canada, using the Kodak Folding Pocket Camera she bought in approximately 1912 (which is still in working order and on a shelf in my living room). I just had the pictures printed from negatives that are almost 100 years ago, and I thrilled that these records of my grandmothers childhood have survived.


My Grandmother, on the Canadian prairie, in about 1919. She is the 2nd from the left.

Approx. 1915, probably while her father plowed wheat fields.

Approx 1916 in Three Hills, Alberta, with her younger brother Harold

Also 1916. My grandmother, my great uncle Harold, and my great great grand-mother Emma. Who, by the way, is who I will probably look like in 20 years...

Approx 1919. My grandmother, my great uncle Harold, and my great aunt Francis.

Spring Salad with Mango and Blueberries

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 02:27:00 +0000

Yesterday was the first really beautiful day this spring in Seattle. The sun was out, the tide was low, and it hit 66 degrees. It seemed like the whole city came out in full force: dudes were walking around shirtless, small children were donning their swimming suits and splashing in the sound while wishing the Coleman Pool was open for the season, and ladies in short shorts were littering the rocky beaches. I spent the majority of the day laden with 3 cameras, traipsing around the beaches on Vashon Island and hanging out with my best friend from childhood. I even got a little bit of a sunburn on my cheeks. Go figure.

Dinner today was inspired by the glorious weather yesterday. I went outside of my comfort zone and went for the "this isn't local or seasonal by any means, but I want summer!" approach and made an huge salad on baby greens, spinach, mango and blueberries, and topped it with a ginger lemon dressing.

Spring Salad with Mango and Blueberries

5 cups baby greens and baby spinach (mixed)
1/2 cup diced fresh mango
1/4 cup blueberries

Dressing:
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
pinch of salt

Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients in a bowl and pour over salad. For something extra special, top with a little smoked cheddar Sheese and freshly cracked black pepper.

And here's a picture from my day at the beach. Enjoy!

Kale and "Sausage" Hash

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:55:00 +0000

I've been super busy lately: out shooting from the hip with my holga, taking a painting class at the local community college (gotta love those continuing education classes!), still trying to finish a few quilts (I should probably finish them before the babies I am making them for graduate high school or something), and writing, writing, writing!

But a girls gotta eat, so I've been making simple fast foods like this hash, which there a bazillion different variations on. That's why I love them: chop up some potatoes, add whatever is on hand, saute everything in some oil until heated and crispy and voila: a filling and delicious meal that doesn't break the bank and only takes about 30 minutes to make.

Kale and "Sausage" Hash

1 bunch of dinosaur kale, roughly chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large white rose potatoes, cubed into 1/4" cubes
2 Field Roast chipotle sausages*, cut into 1/4" circles
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tsp herbes de provence
1/8 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
Nutritional yeast (optional)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and the nutmeg, herbes de provence, and chili powder, and saute for another 5 minutes, until the garlic cooks, but doesn't brown. Add the potatoes and sausage and cook for about 15 or until the potatoes start to become tender. Add the kale, turn heat up to medium/high and cook for another 5 minutes until kale starts to wills and potatoes turn brown and crispy. You made to add a little more oil, but that's ok. Salt to taste and serve in bowls. Top with nutritional yeast if desired.

*really, any vegan sausage can be used. if you don't like sweating while you eat because of the heat, I suggest using something other than the chipotle

Hearty Minestrone

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:00:00 +0000

Minestrone is, simply put, a hearty, thick Italian vegetable soup. Usually it includes some beans and often pasta, though I think the inclusion of pasta can be a bit overkill. I suppose it just comes down to an individuals personal taste. Minestrone is diverse, and can include just about anything one can find to throw in a pot, making it pretty much a stone soup, sans the stone.

Minestrone is considered one of the cornerstones of Italian cuisine, and has roots stating back to the Roman Empire. The minestrone the Roman soldiers lived on was far from the modern version: they didn't even get to enjoy the more recent additions of tomatoes and potatoes that American cooks started utilizing in the mid 16th century. Other than slight tweaks though the ages, the soup often stays true its roots by using local, season vegetables.

So, now that you are aware of the history of minestrone, here's the recipe for a batch I whipped up while visiting my mother the other day. Have at it.

A Minestrone Recipe:

1 can (28 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
6 cups water
3 cups chopped kale
2.5 cups cubes potato
3 large carrots, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
2 cups cooked kidney beans
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 small can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, juices drained
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
small pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp taragon
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry red wine
Fresh Italian parsley and nutritional yeast to garnish

In a medium soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. add onion and stir for 5 min, or until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the chopped garlic and spices (except salt) and heat until onions start to brown (be careful not to burn the garlic). Add in tomatoes, water, potatoes, and beans, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add in kale, balsamic, red wine, and salt and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Remove from heat, add in olives and more salt to taste, if necessary. Spoon into bowls and top with fresh parsley and nutritional yeast if desired.

Cashew "Cheese" Spread 2 Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 22:00:00 +0000

I used to love soft, spreadable cheeses before I was vegan. Brie, Camembert, Chevre, Cougar Gold, stinky, tart or smooth, it didn't matter. Basically, if a cheese could be served on a water cracker, I was a fan. The spreadable Sheese is quite good, but when I'm craving something a little different, it's time to break out the probiotics and raw cashews, and make my own. The last time I made spreadable "cheese", I made 2 different versions, a savory herbed version with rosemary and cracked pepper, and a soft light version, with lavender and toasted hazelnuts. They both rocked and every omnivore at the party didn't believe they were eating cashews and not cheese. Be warned though, even though this recipe is pretty simple, the prep time for this dish is about 3 days between the soaking and culturing, so remember to give yourselves ample time to make this dish.

Herbed Cashew "Cheese" Spread with Cracked Black Pepper

Cashew "Cheese" Spreads

"Cheese" Spread Base

I made one big batch of the base, and then split in into half to add the seasonings. If you are only making one kind of spread, just halve the base recipe.

2 cups raw cashews

1 tsp New Chapter All-Flora probiotic (equivalent to powder from 6 capsules)

2 Tbs water

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp seal salt

1 Tbs nutritional yeast

Place the cashews in a bowl of cold water, set in refrigerator, and soak for 12-14 hours. in a small bowl, combine the probiotic powder and 2 Tbs water and whisk until smooth. Drain the nuts and place with probiotic powder mixture in a blender and blend until very smooth. You will need to blend for at least a few minutes, and scrape the sides, ensuring all the cashews get creamed.

Place a sieve in a large bowl and line with 3 layers of rinsed and drained cheesecloth. place the cashew mixture on the cheesecloth, and fold the excess cloth over the top, and twist, tightly wrapping the mixture. place a few heavy cans or a gallon jug of water over the nut mixture and set in a warm place for 14-16 hours to culture.

Remove the mixture and add the remaining ingredients. Split mixture into 2 equal amounts, and follow directions below for each variety.

Lavender Scented Cashew "Cheese" Spread with Toasted Hazelnuts

Lavender Scented Spread with Toasted Hazelnuts:

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp lavender extract

1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Using half of the mixture above, add in the additional salt and lavender extract and stir into the mixture until fully incorporated. Scoop the mixture into the middle of a piece of parchment paper and roll into a 1 1/2" log and refrigerate a few hours (or overnight) until firm. Spread the chopped hazelnuts on a chopping board and roll the unwrapped cashew mixture in the hazelnuts until the outside is coated. Serve with plain water crackers.

Rosemary Spread with Cracked Black Pepper:

3 tsp finely chopped rosemary

1 tsp finely chopped thyme

2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

Using half of the base mixture, add 1 tsp rosemary, 1 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme and stir into the mixture until fully incorporated. Scoop the mixture into the middle of a piece of parchment paper and roll into a 1 1/2" log and refrigerate a few hours (or overnight) until firm. Spread the remaining rosemary and black pepper on a chopping board and roll the unwrapped cashew mixture in the mixture until the outside is coated. Serve with cracked pepper water crackers, or some other equally delicious savory cracker.

Sweet Potato and Kale Enchiladas

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 22:00:00 +0000

These enchiladas were the star of my birthday dinner extravaganza. They're not exactly traditional by any means, but they sure are tasty!

I totally adapted this from Veganomicon, the holy bible of vegan cooking. Using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes makes this dish jump off the page, and if you use Okinawan sweet potatoes (which are pretty much the coolest tubers ever) the combo of purple of the yam and the green of the kale looks amazing. If you can't find Okinawan sweet potatoes (and you likely won't be able to unless you live in Asia, Hawaii, or the west coast) regular ol' orange yams will suffice.

My cat kindly took off the top of this enchilada so you could see the filling

Enchiladas:

Sauce:

4 anaheim peppers

3 red cherry peppers (mild heat) OR 2 Serrano peppers (medium heat)

1 Tbs olive or macadamia nut oil

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp garlic powder

1 28oz can fire roasted tomatoes (diced)

1 tsp sugar

1 1/2-2 tsp salt

Roast the peppers over an open flame (or use a kitchen torch), stem, seed and chop coarsely. In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil, and saute the onion for 5-8 minutes, until they are translucent and soft and just begin to brown. Add the remaining ingredients, except the salt, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until gently simmering. Remove from heat and cool for about 20 minutes. Stir in salt and using an immersion mixer or blender, puree until smooth. Add more salt to taste, if needed.

Filling:

1 pound Okinawan sweet potatoes or Orange yams

1/2 pound kale, stemmed and chopped (pieces should be about 1" square)

3 table spoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup vegetable broth

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tsp salt (plus more, is needed, to taste)

1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

12-14 corn tortillas

Peel and dice the yams and boil for about 20 minutes, until tender, but not falling apart. Drain and place to the side. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the oil and saute the garlic for a few minutes until tender and starting to brown (but be careful not to burn). Incorporate the kale and salt, toss until coated with oil and garlic, turn the heat up to medium, cover, and cook until kale has wilted, about 4-6 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Add another squeeze of lime juice and a little salt to taste if needed.

Heat your oven to 375 F. Fill and roll your enchiladas, place in a casserole dish, and top with about 1 cup of sauce (these pics are decent in showing how to roll enchiladas. It's not great, but it will do for the time being, and next time I make enchiladas, I will record how I roll enchiladas). Cover with aluminum foil bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve. You may notice pumpkin seeds garnishing the enchiladas–do yourself a favor and just leave them off. The crunchy texture is bizarre.

Serves 6

A Simple Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000

One of my favorite things in the entire word is having friends over for dinner. I like sequestering myself in the kitchen for a few hours and tuning into Thelonious Monk, playing mad scientist with spices, and ignoring the rest of the world until friends knock on the door and it's time to set the table. Sometimes I plate and serve full courses, and sometimes I spread all the elements on the table, and let my guests put together their own plates. The following curry works best in the latter format, as people can choose how much rice, vegetables, sauce, and garnish they want. It's a good meal for a smallish (4-6) dinner party.

Cilantro, Coconut Curry Sauce, Cumin Scented Rice, Roaster Cauliflower and Carrots, Steamed Spinach and Choi Sum

Curry Powder:

Basically, if you have this combo on hand, you'll always be ready to make a fast, simple dinner. There's also the added advantage of having a curry as hot as you like without being pigeonholed by what your grocery store carries. The following lists the ratio of spices for the blend that I use, and I generally use 2-3 tablespoons for dish, so make a bunch and store it in a jar for future use.

1/2 Allspice

1/2 Black Pepper

1/4 Cayenne

4 Coriander

1 Cumin

1/2 Ginger Powder

1 Dry Mustard Powder

3 Turmeric

1 Fenugreek

To increase the heat, add red pepper flakes when you actually make your dish. This way you can adjust the heat to your liking.

Coconut Curry sauce with Vegetables and Rice:

For the sauce: I used 2 cups of coconut milk for the sauce, heated it on the stove, and added 2 Tbs of curry powder, 1tsp of slat, and 2 tsp of red chili flakes, and stirred until the sauce was thoroughly heated and the spices were incorporated. Feel free to adjust all seasoning amounts until the sauce is to your liking and if it tastes a little bland or slightly bitter, add salt before you add more curry powder.

For the rice: In a medium sauce pan, toast 2 tsp of cumin seeds in 1 tsp of oil over medium heat until the seeds start to brown and release an amazing aroma. add 1 Tbs of oil, 2 tsp salt and 2 cups of jasmine rice and toss until rice is coated in oil. Add water and cook rice as you normally would. If you are using a rice cooker, just toast the cumin seeds and add to the rice cooker at the beginning. When the rice is done, finely chop about 1/8 cup if cilantro and stir into the rice.

For the roasted vegetables: Chop whatever root and sturdy vegetables you have lying around (potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, onion, etc), so you have 4-5 cups, lightly toss in olive oil, lay on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a light dusting of salt, and bake in the oven at 400 F for about 30-40 minutes until the edges of the vegetables have started to brown.

For the steamed greens: Stem greens, and if you are using baby bok choi or choi sum, cut into quarters. throw in a steamer and steam for about 20 minutes, or until soft and cooked. Have fun playing with what veggies you use, there's no reason to just follow what I used.

Serve with chopped cilantro, on plates that are equally as enticing as the food itself.

Cherry Creme Tart with Sugar Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0000

Yesterday was my birthday, and I am attempting not to feel too old by reminding myself I am still in my 20's. In celebration I did what I do best: spent all day cooking, invited some friends over, ate way too much food, and drank just a little too much Yamayuzu Shibori sake.

I made all sorts of yummy treats: two types of cashew "cheese," sweet potato and kale enchiladas, bean enchiladas, toast points, and a cherry creme tart with pears. Friends brought cupcakes, artichoke dip, fruit and a soysage chard medley that was delish. It all made for a great birthday. I'll post all the recipes, but wanted to start off with the dish that ended the night, the creme tart. I passed on the traditional cake and veganized Julia Child's sugar crust recipe (oh, how she must be spinning in her grave) and modified the ppk's berry creme tart recipe. The result was a filling that was cream and smooth, not to sweet, and a crust that was like a rich buttery, flaky sugar cookie.

Cherry Creme Tart

Crust (modified from Julia Child):

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
6 Tbs sugar
1/8 tsp baking powder
5 Tbs cold earth balance buttery spread
2 Tbs cold earth balance shortening

1 Tbs ground flax seeds mixed with 3 Tbs water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

in a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, buttery spread and earth balance. cut the butter into the four using a pastry cutter or mix together with the tips of your fingers until the mixture is crumbly and resembles oatmeal. Sprinkle the extract and flax seed mixture and knead the dough into a ball. Wrap and place in the freezer for at least an hour until firm.

Grease a 9"-11" tart pan. Pre-heat the over to 350 degrees. Line the pan with dough, Julia says to roll the dough, but good luck with that. I pat the dough into little circles and press them into the pan, and then make little logs and press them into the sides until the pan is all covered in sugar crust goodness. if the dough starts to get to warm and sticky, just throw it in the freezer for 5-6 minutes to chill. Poke holes all over the bottom of the crust using a fork, and bake for 12-18 minutes until slightly browned.

Filling (modified from Post Punk Kitchen):
1 cup cashews, soaked
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup soy milk
2 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs powdered agar agar
1 1/2 cups canned tart pitted cherries, drained
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1 can of pear halves for garnish (optional)

Soak the cashews in water for at least an hour. Drain the cashews and throw into a blender with the coconut milk and blend until smooth (this can take upwards of 5 minutes, though it's faster with a VitaMix)

While the cashews are blending, mix the cornstarch and soymilk together until smooth. In a small heavy sauce pot, stir together the soy milk/ cornstarch mixture, the agar agar powder, the sugar, and the cherries. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. turn heat to low and stir for about ten minutes, until it becomes thick and gel like. Turn off heat and continue to stir for about 5 minutes while it continues to thicken.

Pour the cherry mixture into the your blender with the coconut milk/ cashew mixture, add the lemon juice and vanilla, and blend until smooth. Pour into the tart crust and set in the fridge for 2-4 hours until set. Before serving, if you like, slice some canned or poached pears and lay them nicely on top.

Cardamom Scented Banana Bread with Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Well, Lindsey has been in DC for the last few weeks, and seeing as my cooking slags when she's gone (I am just not motivated to cook for one...) Mostly I've been listening to terrible pop music and rap and quilting (which I will post pics of once they are done... don't fret). There's something about listening to Rihanna and Diddy-Dirty Money* while ironing blocks of fabric that really takes the whole mundane factor out of the routine.

I have however made a few things, including an awesome coconut curry, which I will get around to posting the recipe for in the next few days, and a totally awesome banana bread. I've made the banana bread recipe from the PPK a few times, and it really is my favorite. The bread is dense, smooth and sweet, but not in a "sugar-shock that sends one into a coma" way. It's da bomb. In fact, this banana bread makes me have love like woe for Isa.

The PPK Banana Bread Recipe

I threw in 1/8 tsp of ground cardamom with the cinnamon and allspice, and once I had mixed the wet ingredients with the dry and the batter was smooth, I added in 1 cup of dried strawberries (sweetened with apple juice). You could, I suppose, add fresh strawberries, but I like adding the dried ones because it keeps the moisture level down and biting into a concentrated strawberry flavor surrounded by warm banana bread is heavenly.


Ghetto picture of the last bit of banana bread.

*Actually, I don't consider Puffy terrible (though maybe I should... but that's another rant), but once Usher and Pitbull start coming through the speakers there's no turning back on that road of musical armageddon. At least Cee Lo agrees to ride shotgun and keep me company...

Valentine's Day 2011 with Isa's Chocolate Berry Creme Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:51:00 +0000

The featured post up over at at the Post Punk Kitchen for the last two weeks or so is the Berry Creme Tart With Cocoa Olive Oil Crust and I have been drooling over the damn thing since it was posted on the 2nd. But I needed an excuse, and I'm really not that into Valentines Day, in fact, the only thing you can count on from me during the holiday is to wear a shirt that has "fuck hallmark" stenciled on it. I also don't have a tart pan, but when I was invited to a pie party (in which I had to bring a pie) the party and the pan became the excuse I needed.

So I walked my happy ass down to the market and into my most favorite kitchenware store where purchases are far and few between, and picked out an 11" tart pan. Oh, the joy that filled my heart at the prospect of not having to make a tart in a pie pan. Plus, I found little heart shaped sprinkles for a whopping 50% off, so you know those went into the bag.

Isa's recipe was easy to follow and worked like a charm (though, because I was making an 11" tart instead of tartlettes, I upped the Agar Agar powder to 1 Tbs. I also used dutch cocoa powder and the crust was a much richer, dark chocolate). It takes a fair amount of time, and maybe the swirl in the tart isn't as clean as it could be, but it's worth the commitment, and the result is a smooth and creamy berry filling with a rich crust. bar far one of the best things that I have made, dessert-wise, in a long long time. Thanks PPK, for always being totally brilliant and trustworthy.

Spaghetti and Meatball Amore

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:30:00 +0000

In 1987 a TV special by the name of Frog aired. In my fuzzy brain, Fred Savage starred in what I thought was a full length movie involving frogs falling from the sky over a first kiss while "That's Amore" played in the background. Well, fortunately, someone threw the whole 50 minutes of it up on youtube, and I discovered I was wrong about everything except for the kiss and the song. Oh, there's frogs alright, but not falling from the sky, and there's definitely no Fred Savage. That's ok, I've got Little Monsters and Wizard to get my Fred Savage fix.

Then, in 1991, when I was in 4th grade,our school performed a "Musical Olympics," in which pairs of students had to dress up in a country's traditional garb and sing the national anthem. Leave it to my father to convince me Italy's national anthem was "That's Amore," resulting in me to making a complete idiot of myself on the first day of rehearsal when I insisted I knew the whole song and broke into "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie..." A rendition that ruined my social status and my classmates eardrums for years to come, but that's ok, 'cause I got to rock a pink shawl, some plastic flowers in my hair, and a kick ass floral apron.

That's about the extent of my history with the 1950's classic. Well, accept that insist on singing it every time I make spaghetti and meatballs (which isn't that often) but I did get a chance to make them last weekend, and what meatballs they were! So throw a red gingham table cloth on your kitchen table, stick some carnations in a vase, put on some accordion music, light some candles, and serve your sweetie a very Americanized vegan version of an Italian classic.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs (adapted from this recipe):

1 package of Gimme Lean sausage flavor

1 cup fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp black pepper

4 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbs vegetable oil

In a food processor, process (using the chop attachment) everything but the Gimme Lean sausage. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ingredients from the food processor and the sausage together (using a large wooden spoon or tell your Honey to mix it with their hands or they ain't getting meatballs) until fully incorporated and roll into balls the size of golf balls. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet and cook meatballs, turning with a spoon, until meatballs are brown and crispy on the outside and hot on the inside.

Spaghetti:

16 oz package dry spaghetti

24 oz jar pasta sauce

1 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs caper berries

1 Tbs olive oil

Cook pasta according to directions on package. While pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions until translucent, add garlic and capers, and cook until onions start to brown. Add sauce and cook until thoroughly heated. Place spaghetti noodles in a pasta dish, smother in sauce, throw some meatballs on top, and sprinkle with nutritional yeast. Eat up.

P.S. When you experiment on frogs, you run the chance of turning your best friend into one. Just remember that.

Smile!

Tropical Icey Pops!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:15:00 +0000

I've been on a cooking hiatus lately. This tends to happen when my wife goes a traveling (which she tends to do on a regular basis, fighting the good fight for equality and all) and I tend to get lazy about the whole cooking (and shopping) thing and end up living on rice and beans or lentils for a few weeks. Lindsey returned just in time for our kitchen to get torn up (on the bright side, I now have new granite counter tops. yay!!!) and during the shuffle of the last week I have misplaced my card reader. So, while i have spaghetti and vegan meatball total awesomeness to share, as well a soup featuring my newest favorite vegetable: choy sum, they will all have to wait until I find the damn card reader. Sigh.

But don't fret! In the meantime I wanted to share an awesome product find I stumbled upon yesterday at my favorite northwest Asian market. First of all, I love Uwajimaya: the store is a vegan's dream come true. There's about 20 different kinds of water packed tofu, the best selection of fresh vegetables I have come across at any supermarket in the Seattle area, and a bazillion treats waiting to be found. Ok, that's a hyperbole, but I do love constantly finding treats made with agar agar instead of gelatin.

So, what is my treat of the day? An icey creamy frozen treat called Smooze. Apparently they also sell it at whole foods, so if you don't live near any awesome Asian supermarkets, you could try there... At any rate, Smooze is basically a push pop made of fruit juice, coconut milk, and pectin. They come in 4 flavors: mango, guava, pineapple and passion fruit, which are not only refreshing, but makes one feel like they are sitting on a beach in Hawaii. Plus, they are packaged in those paper triangle type push pop packages that you have to cut open, and those make me feel like I'm a little kid again. All in all, it's a pretty good find.

I seem to not cook when my wife is away...

noreply@blogger.com (Miss C. Bean) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:10:00 +0000

I have however, been out playing with friends and chowing down at the Highline, meeting new people, running into old friends, and going off to catch some shows this weekend (with my boy Joey who just rolled into town! holla!!!). I've been skiing and listening to tons of music and ever since I started taking vitamin D, I have energy! It's been good. Also, I finished a quilt for a friends wee baby that I started a few months ago and I am stoked about the whole thing. It's the third one I've made, and the largest. Not bad, eh? What better way to remind people to eat their veggies? Got two more quilts on my plate right now and I can't wait to start 'em and share 'em!