urban vegan

black bean hummus

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:27:00 +0000

Black bean hummus may not look pretty – but you can't judge a dip by its color.

Chickpea-based hummus is a vegetarian classic – nutritious, easy to make and frugal. It's substantial on its own and is prone to infinitesimal variations – garlic, horseradish, edamame, red pepper, sun-dried tomato, to name just a few. That's part of its enduring charm. Still, every once in awhile, I hear the wanton call of different legumes begging to be made into hummus. Last night, a bag of precooked black beans beckoned to me from their temporary Ziploc hacienda in the freezer. And so, another easy hummus recipe was born – much cheaper than the Black Bean Hummus sold at Whole Foods, and much tastier, if I do say so myself.

This Black Bean Hummus reminds me of refried beans, but without the fuss, frying – or refrying. You simply whiz everything together in the food processor and out comes a fiesta of fiber-filled flavor. The cumin infuses the bean mash with an earthy gravitas, balanced by a kick of heat from the garlic and jalapeño pepper and a tempering coolness from fresh cilantro. I used smoked salt to season this hummus, and I highly recommend it here: the hint of smoke is such an elegant undertone. Lately, I'm loving this hummus slathered on Wasa Crispbreads. It also makes a great burrito filling or a dip for crudities, especially Mexi-centric veggies like jicama and tomato. You can even try some on thinly sliced polenta rounds, topped with a little salsa verde and avocado. Oh, and did I mention that it's low-fat?

Black Bean Hummus

2 cups cooked black beans [Rinse, if using canned]
3 garlic cloves, slices
1 T Vegenaise or Light Vegenaise
2 T tahini
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup cilantro, packed
Up to about 1/2 cup water [Use cooking water from the beans, if you have it]
Salt, to taste, preferably smoked salt

Makes a healthy 2 cups

Whiz everything but the water and salt in the food processor. Add water, about 2 T at a time, until hummus reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and serve.

vegan valentine's day recipe ideas

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:16:00 +0000

Shower the people you love with sugar (at least on Valentine's Day)

Anyone can hand off a store-bought box of chocolates as a Valentine gift. But nothing says “I love you” better than a batch of these adorably addictive heart-shaped cookies from my new cookbook, Celebrate Vegan. The slight pucker of the lemon zest and raspberry jam reminds me of the fact that, although love is certainly sweet, you need a little contrast to liven things up. You’ll need Linzer cookie cutters for this recipe.

Here are links to some other vegan Valentine's Day treats recipe ideas:

Chocolate-dipped love

Chocolate-Dipped Things (Scroll down on page for recipe. Also includes yummy savory recipes by Nava Atlas and Robin Robertson)
Vegan Apple Galette
Raw Cookies (Use heart-shaped cutters!)
Little Lemon Tarts
Blood Orange Cupcakes with Dark-Chocolate Ganache

Heart-Felt Linzer Cookies

2 cups Earth Balance, softened
1 cup sugar
1 T lemon zest
2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp vanilla
2 T soy flour
3/4 cup ground almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
Pinch cloves
1 cup raspberry jam
About ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Makes about 3 dozen, depending on the size of your cookie cutters.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with silpat mats.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the Earth Balance and sugar. Beat in zest.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, almonds, and spices. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, about ½ cup at a time. When dough becomes too stiff for mixer to handle, begin kneading together with your hands.
4. Lightly flour a large sheet of wax paper. Roll dough our to 1/8 inch thick Cut into heart tops and heart bottoms, using your Linzer cookie cutter
5. Bake 9-12 minutes or golden. Cool on wire rack.
6. Dust heart tops with confectioners’ sugar.
7. Spread heart bottoms with jam, and top with heart tops. (I know this sounds abstract, but follow the directions to the letter and it will all make sense!)

and the winner is....

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:42:00 +0000

What a life. From gutter kitties to feline odalisques...

Pablo would like to announce the winner of the $20 gift certificate to Allison's Gourmet. [Buttons, as you can see, refuses to be woken from her beauty rest for such foolishness]. The lucky chocoholic is.....[drumroll!]....ANNE! Congratulations. Please email me with your mailing address, and I will forward to Allison.

Check back soon, dear readers– more contests, recipes – and gratuitously cute cat shots – are in the works.

lower-fat cranberry cornbread squares

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Cranberry-Cornbread squares, fresh out of the oven.

Cornmeal-based baked goods are unfairly typecast. Cornbread tends to be savory or semi-savory while breakfast corn muffins usually lean on the sweet side. For this recipe, thinking "outside the savory box" required baking these tasty, sweet cornbread squares inside a box, 8" x 8" pan, to be exact. The slightly sour cranberries and orange juice and zest balance out the inherent sweetness of the cornmeal. Plus, I love how the ruby-red polka dots punctuate the sunshine yellow cake.

These Cranberry-Cornbread Squares are not exactly low fat – each square has about 4 grams. But compared to, say, store-bought corn muffins or buttery restaurant cornbread, they are practically angelic. These squares are divine for breakfast, slightly warmed with a dab of your favorite jam. They also pair nicely with a cup of afternoon tea.

Before I give you the recipe, please don't forget to enter my contest to win a $20 Gift Certificate to Allison's Gourmet. I'll be announcing the winner soon.

Bet you can't eat just one.

Cranberry-Cornbread Squares

1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup flour [I used spelt]
1/2 cup sugar
2 T soy flour 1 T baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
2 T canola oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
Finely-grated zest of one organic orange
1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries

Serves 9

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil a non-stick 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" pan.

Mix dry ingredients [first five] in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl.

Stir the wet ingredients [next four] into the dry until just combined. Do not overmix. Finally, gently stir in the zest and the cranberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a tester inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

win a $20 gift certificate for allison's gourmet

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:10:00 +0000

Some of the hedonistic confections that Allison makes by hand: dark peppermint bark, peppermint creme patties, truffles and artisanal caramels.

Last year at the Vida Vegan Conference, I met and hung out with Allison Rivers Samson, self-proclaimed "Maven of Mmmmm" and owner of the uber-popular Allison's Gourmet. Believe it or not, she is actually sweeter than the confections she purveys.

Speaking of her confections, I was a very lucky girl over the recent holidays. First, VegNews sent me and all contributing writers a box of Allison's brownies: rich, decadent with a faint orange scent. Allison also kindly sent me a holiday sampling of her sophisticated treats, sumptuously packaged in her signature chocolate brown box tied with lavender ribbon. Of course, I greedily gobbled them all up in record time. I especially enjoyed the Peppermint Creme Patties – they made me fall in love with peppermint again – and the Artisanal Vegan Caramels.

Allison's Gourmet has been in business since 1997. Her products not only taste good; buying them also make you feel good, because Allison uses only organic, fair-trade, vegan and minimally processed ingredients, and relies on post-consumer recycled paper and packaging whenever possible.

At the Vida Vegan Conference, left to right, me, Terry Hope Romero, Julie Hasson, Maven of Mmmm, Allison Rivers Samson of Allison's Gourmet.

Want to win a $20 gift certificate for Allison's Gourmet? All you have to do is visit Allison's Gourmet, take a look-see, and leave a comment here with the decadent treat that you like most [Disclaimer: I cannot be held responsible if you drool all over your keyboard or mobile]. You need to live in the US to be eligible. Please be sure to leave contact info. Good luck, chocoholics! I'll be announcing the winner in the next few days.

pumpkin-pie smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:25:00 +0000

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie: Dessert in a glass

Smoothie Basics
The weather's growing colder, and I know it's more seasonally appropriate to write about warming libations like tea, coffee and cocoa. But the fact is, regardless of the temperature, when my tummy starts to rumble– usually around 10 a.m.– I crave a nice, tall smoothie. Besides their sweet, creamy flavor, I also love the fact that you can toss in all kinds of healthful goodies into smoothies to further boost their nutritional power– like ground flax seeds, green powder, and/or probiotic powder. I also usually add 1/2 scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder to my smoothies; it makes them creamier [read: more decadent!] and provides me with an extra shot of protein. You can also supplement most fruit-based smoothies with about 1 cup of fresh greens, like spinach or lettuce. Believe it or not, you cannot taste them, since the bolder fruit flavors overpower the greens' subtle sweetness [Really. Truly!].

When you think of smoothies, the usual suspects come to mind: strawberry, banana-peanut butter, chocolate, blueberry, etc. Yesterday, I spied 1/2 cup of leftover pumpkin puree in my 'fridge and decided to do a deconstructed pumpkin pie, smoothie, sans crust. [Want the crust effect? Toss in a few vegan graham crackers.] Besides being seasonal, this smoothie is seriously addictive and now holds a permanent spot in my daily smoothie rotation.

Pumpkin-Pie Smoothie

1/2 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 frozen ripe banana, chopped
6 oz non-dairy milk [I used a small carton of So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk. You can also use plain or vanilla non-dairy yogurt]
Sprinkle of ground flax seeds [Optional, but great way to add omega 3s]
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Healthy pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 scoop of your favorite vegan vanilla protein powder [to add creaminess and protein]
Your favorite sweetener [eg, stevia, sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar] to taste
Optional additions: Ground flax seeds, green powder, probiotic powder, etc

Serves 1

Whiz everything in a blender until smooth.

80-20 rule and easy black bean salad recipe

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:14:00 +0000

Beans, beans, they're good for your heart – and your wallet

The 80-20 Ratio
In terms of maintaing a healthy diet – and in maintaining equilibrium in most things in life – I'm all about the 80-20 ratio. Generally speaking, I aim for 80% healthy foods and 20% hedonistic. Some weeks are better than others. Sometimes without even trying, I can nosh 99.99% healthily for weeks on end. Other times, when I answer the call of the wild vegan cupcake with reckless abandon, the odds swing in the other direction. But on the whole, I would say that 80-20 is how my daily diet levels off.

We Americans are socialized to think in extremes. This said, I am sure a knee-jerk, visceral reaction to the terms "healthy" and "hedonistic" is that they are mutually exclusive. Au contraire, organic pear! Healthy can and should be hedonistic. Plus, what could be more self-indulgent than flooding your body with phytochemicals, vitamin, minerals and fiber, all tied together via a tasty recipe?

Easy Black Bean Salad
Case in point this easy, Southwest-inspired black bean salad. Besides infusing the beans and produce with a decadent creaminess, the avocado also adds 20 nutrients, including cancer-fighting lignans, and pretty specks of celadon. Like most of the recipes I share, this black bean salad is versatile. You can eat it as-is, room temperature, as a side – or use it as burrito filling, tortilla chip dip, Southwestern soup base or green salad topping. It's also flexible in that you can add virtually any flavor-compatible ingredients and spices. You can also omit ingredients without anyone noticing. Plus, as a special added bonus, the spectrum of colors in this rainbow salad positively vibrate, contrasting against the glistening black beans. Serve it on a white plate for extra visual pop.

Bean Counting: Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or a die-hard omnivore, beans are, without question, the ultimate frugal protein. I eat a lot of beans and admittedly lean on canned beans when I am busy. But when I have time, I cook dried beans [which I find meditative] and freeze them in 1-2 cup portions in Ziplock bags. The bean counters tell me this can add up to saving about 34 cents per cup of beans. If you're a big bean eater, that adds up to a lot over the course of a year. Cooking beans with a pressure cooker would only increase the savings. Although I don't own one, for space and simplicity reasons, I am sure this appliance that would quickly pay for itself.

Last night's dinner: Black Bean Salad over baby spinach, clementines and steamed broccoli, livened up with Susan's Hidden Cashew Ranch Dressing [to which I added a fiery glop of harissa]

Easy Black Bean Salad

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans [or 1 can, drained and rinsed]
1 mango, diced
One ripe avocado, diced
1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced [more or less, to taste]
5-6 green onions, sliced, including greens
1 cup of corn [Frozen is fine]
2 tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional additions [About 1/2 cup each]: Fresh or roasted green, yellow, orange or red peppers, shredded carrots, diced jicama, diced pineapple.
You can also season with your favorite Southwestern spices and smoked salt, to taste [eg, cumin, chile powder, coriander, turmeric]

Serves 6-8

Toss everything gently in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Allow flavors to marinate for at least two hours before serving, or ideally overnight.

vedge with JL

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Last Saturday, I met JL of JL Goes Vegan for a girls' night out nosh. She came down to Philly for work and was dying to try Vedge. Of course, she didn't exactly have to wring my arm to join her; I had been to Vedge's press opening in November and was anxious to return for a full-on meal. Unlike most vegetarian restaurants, vegetables take center stage at Vedge [hence its name], with proteins playing a minor, supporting role.

Crispy Cauliflower with Kimchee Crema and Black Vinegar

Uber-chef Rich Landau is known for juxtaposing surprising, often unusual ingredients to create a party on your palate. Forget the Food Network and Bon Appetit: I keep on on new food trends thanks only to Rich. Case in point: Crispy Cauliflower with Kimchee Crema and Black Vinegar. Rich can tease out qualities in vegetables that you never knew existed; this almost didn't taste like cauliflower, but rather something earthier and more decadent and chewier. Who knew this was possible?

Steak-Spice Seared Tofu with Chanterelles, Kabocha, Madeira and Walnut Picada

I do love my protein, so I could not resist ordering the Steak-Spice Seared Tofu with Chanterelles, Kabocha, Madeira and Walnut Picada. Talk about yin and yang. The crispy, masculine tofu crust contrasted nicely with the lighter, sweeter chanterelles and kobacha squash.

Spice-Cured Little Carrots with White Bean Sauerkraut Puree and Rye Toast Points

JL wisely ordered the Spice-Cured Little Carrots with White Bean Sauerkraut Puree and Rye Toast Points. The presentation on the wooden board was so attractive that we didn't want to disturb it – for about 2 seconds. This dish had a distinct Alsatian feel, with the carrots' inherent sweetness playing off the slightly sour bean dip and hearty rye bread. Although it looks small, it was surprisingly filling.

Roasted Maitake with Creamy Celery Root with Seared Turnip, Truffle and Red Wine

Rich was disappointed that JL and I had not ordered one of his favorite dishes, the Roasted Maitake with Creamy Celery Root with Seared Turnip, Truffle and Red Wine, so he kindly brought out a plate gratis. Thank goodness he did: not trying this would have been an egregious error! This plate is a meat-n-potato lover's dream: a meaty Maitake mushroom perched upon a caramelized turnip, surrounded by a lovely, complex red-wine reduction sauce. The celery root puree was a nice alternative to mashed potatoes.

Fresh Hearts of Palm Garbanzo Crepe with Curried Golden Lentils and Green Harissa

As usual, I was craving some carbs, and the Fresh Hearts of Palm Garbanzo Crepe with Curried Golden Lentils and Green Harissa did the job – in a healthy way. This straightforward, fun take on a dosa was quite filling.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Mustard Sauce

We both ordered a side from the Dirt List, Vedge's ever-changing list of sides prepared from local, seasonal produce. JL chose the Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Mustard Sauce. The shaved preparation combined with the sauce made this pungent winter veggie surprisingly light.

Sunchokes with Harissa Dip

I opted for the Sunchokes with Harissa Dip. Think French Fries and Ketchup, but way more sophisticated and complex.

Grilled Seitan with Black Lentils and Mushrooms, Creamy Horseradish and Kohlrabi

JL and I both adore seitan. She ordered the Grilled Seitan with Black Lentils and Mushrooms, Creamy Horseradish and Kohlrabi. This is the most expensive item on the menu, and it is worth every penny. It was my favorite dish of the bunch--slightly smoky, perfect texture and moisture, hearty--yet not.

Cheesecake with Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Clementine Juice and Blood Orange Suprèmes

Amazingly, after all those courses, we managed to save some room for dessert. I am a huge fan of Kate Jacoby's cheesecakes, so I could not wait to try her Cheesecake with Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Clementine Juice and Blood Orange Suprèmes. It was decadent yet light, complex yet simple. I particularly love the taste of citrus in the winter; it reminds me that spring is coming and that it's sunny and warm somewhere.

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla-Bourbon Ice Cream

JL went for the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla-Bourbon Ice Cream. It was as luscious as it looked. Earthy and very British.

JL and me

JL and I lingered over our dinner for several hours, talking, laughing and sharing. Vedge is that kind of place. I love the fact that, with the small plates menu, you can spend a lot or a little, depending on your appetite and your budget. Since poor JL did not have access to a 'fridge, I won the prize and got to take home the rather substantial doggy bag.

easy mix-n-match crumble recipe [lower-fat]

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:53:00 +0000

In my "clear out my pantry" crumble, I used a combination of bagged organic gala apples, and the remnants of bags of frozen blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

Crumbles are so easy to throw together; I don't know why I don't make them more often. Besides being a tasty way to work more fruit into your diet, especially during these long winter months, they are also quite forgiving: crumbles taste just as comforting whether you use fresh fruit, frozen, or a combination. They lend themselves beautifully to improvisation, and with the exception of some sugar and Earth Balance, fruit crumbles can be relatively healthy. They are perfect for lazy cooks and the recipe-phobic, as well as novice and anarchistic bakers.

My issue with most crumbles is that the usual grease-laden toppings tend to detract from the pure, fresh flavors of the fruit. I was shocked to note that most crumble recipes call for a 1/2 cup of butter or margarine! In this modular recipe, I reduced the fat to just 2 T of Earth Balance for a 6-serving crumble with great success. You just don't miss it because the fruit takes center stage, with crunchy oats playing a strong supporting role. You may even be able to get away with less fat, especially if you are using nuts. [Of course, you can always add more if you're throwing caution to the wind.]

This modular crumble recipe is really an anti-recipe. You can mix, match, ignore and embellish my instructions to your heart's content, and you will still wind up with a warming, phytonutrient-packed breakfast – or dessert when topped with a scoop of non-dairy ice cream.

Some flavor combination ideas:

Peach-Raspberry
Mango-Pineapple [Use coconut oil for the full tropical experience]
Apple-Pear-Almond
Mixed Berry [strawberry, raspberry. blueberry, blackberry]
Pistachio-Plum

An interesting factoid before we begin. Adding a bit of baking soda when baking with fruit [eg, crumbles, pies, cobblers] neutralizes the acid and allows you to cut back on the amount of sugar. For this reason, I added 1/2 tsp baking soda to my crumble.

Mix-n-Match Crumble
Fruit layer:

3-4 cups fruit, fresh or frozen [eg, peeled apples, pears, peaches, apricots, plums, mangoes; raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, pineapple]
1 T sugar, white or brown
1 T flour
1 tsp of any combination of the following: cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cardamon, pumpkin pie spice, mace
A squirt [about 1 tsp] of any citrus juice
Zest of 1/2 an orange, lime or lemon [optional, but adds a wonderful freshness]
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt

Crumble topping:

1/4 cup flour [Any kind will do: whole wheat, gluten-free, spelt, white]
1/2 cup rolled oats
3-4 T sugar, brown or white
2 T Earth Balance, cubed or 2 T coconut oil
1/4 cup chopped nuts [optional]

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a pie pan, or an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

Cut larger fruits, like apples or pears, into berry-sized dice. Mix all prepared fruit in a medium bowl with other fruit layer ingredients, and pour into your prepared pan.

In a small bowl, mix all crumble ingredients. Squish in the Earth Balance with your fingers or a pastry cutter, but don't get too obsessed about mixing it all in. Small clumps are fine. Scatter crumble topping above fruit layer.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until topping is golden. I think crumbles taste best when served warm.

Note: Nutrition information may vary. Above is based on 1 cup blueberries, 1 large gala apple, 1/2 cup raspberries, 1/2 cup strawberries and no nuts, baked in a 9-inch pie pan.

rethink your oatmeal :: 12 fresh ideas

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:54:00 +0000

Peanut Butter-Pecan Oatmeal with Bananas and Maple Syrup

Happy 2012! Here in Philadelphia, today is the first day this season that truly feels like winter. There's a cold, biting sting in the air, I'm finally cranking up my heat – and I am experiencing a serious oatmeal hankering.

As a rule, I tend to crave oatmeal in January and February. During these chilly months, my steaming morning soy latte just isn't enough to warm me through and through. Enter the humble bowl of oatmeal. In a world overflowing with ubiquitous food blogs, cooking channels and culinary magazines, oatmeal [aka, porridge or mush] is not exactly the sexiest victual in the world. But it is a relatively healthy breakfast staple – warming, filling, inexpensive, and overflowing with fiber and comfort. And it's neutral base lends itself wonderfully to improvisation.

As with most recipes, it's important to start with quality ingredients, and oatmeal is no exception. I'm partial to steel cut oats– I love the nutty chewiness. And I find that Irish quick-cooking oatmeal has a cleaner, more straightforward flavor than some of the American instant oats, which sadly, can taste like and resemble wallpaper paste.

Let's face it, oatmeal can get real boring real fast. Cinnamon, brown sugar, and soy milk can only hold our attention for so long. Here are a dozen ways to liven up your oatmeal. Please feel free to add your own ideas as comments.

1. Peanut Butter-Pecan Oatmeal with Bananas and Maple Syrup [Pictured above]. Put a healthy glop of peanut butter in a bowl. Stir in cooked oatmeal. Top with maple syrup, chopped pecans, sliced bananas, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. This has become my new addiction. Try it with different nut/nut butter combos [eg, walnuts and cashew butter, pistachios and almond butter]
2. Blueberry Supreme: Into cooked oatmeal, stir half a container of blueberry non-dairy yogurt and 1/2 cup fresh or defrosted frozen blueberries. You can substitute any berry/yogurt combination.
3. Pumpkin Pie: While cooking oats, substitute 1/4 cup cooking water with unsweetened pumpkin puree. Add 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice per serving. Top with brown sugar or maple syrup.
4. Almond-Pear Crumble: Peel an organic pear and cut into raisin-sized pieces. Cook along with your oats [works best with steel-cut oats]. Top with toasted almonds, a small dab of Earth Balance and some brown sugar or agave nectar.
5. Fruit-Juice Stock: This idea is from my first cookbook. Instead of cooking the oatmeal with water, substitute all or part of your favorite fruit juice: eg, apple juice, cranberry juice, just as you might cook a savory grain in stock. This infuses the oats with an extra zing of flavor and sweetness.
6. Cran-Apple: Toss 2-3 T unsweetened, dried cranberries and a peeled, diced apple into the oats as you cook them. Season with ginger and cinnamon. Add sugar or other sweetener, if desired. If you're really feeling domestic, add some fresh orange of lemon zest, too.
7. Canuck Special: This one's courtesy of F-Stop. Boil some raisins, about 1/4 cup. Puree a peeled apple in the food processor. Add this mixture to your cooked oats, and top with your favorites: eg, nuts, cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup.
8. Coconut Chocolate Chip: A fun departure, like eating a deconstructed turtle bar. While cooking the oats, add 2-3 T shredded coconut. Remove from heat. Stir in desired amount of dark chocolate chips and nuts, if you like. You should not need to add any sugar to this one!
9. Cherry-Berry: While cooking oats, add 2-3 T chopped, dried cherries. Season with cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and maple syrup or agave nectar.
10. Cardamon Sticky-Toffee: The name is a bit of a stretch--this oatmeal will never taste as decadent as the famous dessert, but it is a luscious breakfast treat. Pit and finely chop about 1/3 cup of Medjool dates and add them to the oatmeal cooking water; they will infuse your oats with a cloying, sticky sweetness [Add a tiny pinch of salt to counter the sugar's intensity]. Top with cardamon powder and, if you have a serious sweet tooth, a bit of golden or Karo syrup or molasses. Hedonists can also add some chocolate chips.
11. Pure Vanilla: Halve a vanilla bean, scrape out the insides and mix into the oatmeal and water, before cooking, along with 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and the vanilla bean shells [You'll remove them before eating--but why not extract every possible bit of flavor from these expensive little pods?]. Season as you like, with cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, bananas, vanilla non-dairy yogurt, maple syrup – the sky's the limit!
12. Jelly Roll: Instead of sweetening oatmeal with the usual suspects, add a teaspoon of your favorite jelly [eg, apricot, raspberry, fig, quince] to the cooked grain. Depending on the kind of jam you use, this trick can elevate your oatmeal to bona-fide exotic.

20 vegan christmas recipes plus apron contest winner

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:04:00 +0000

My Brown Rice Christmas Maki are red, green – and lean.

It's almost 60 degrees in Philadelphia today– not exactly Christmas weather. But warm or cold, Christmas is coming. Despite my best efforts at staying organized, I am still trying to figure out what to cook for the upcoming Christmas festivities.

For those of you who are, like me, still finalizing your holiday menus, I've compiled a handy-dandy list of 20 of my Christmas-friendly vegan recipes. Four from my "Feast of the Seven Grains" menu in Celebrate Vegan appear today on the Today Show web site – so cool that vegan is finally going mainstream. Happy, healthy holidays, everyone!

Congratulations to VegieGail, winner of the retro apron. Gail, please email me and tell me your mailing address.

Appetizers and Sides
Brown Rice Christmas Maki  [Today Show]
Gussied-Up Tabbouleh  [Today Show, scroll down]
Darling Brussels Sprouts
Lemony Raw Kale Salad
Tartines
Insanely Thick and Comforting Squash Soup

Mains
Polenta-Kale Cutlets with Basil Aoïli  [Today Show, scroll down]
Pink Ribbon Risotto
Thai-Centric Mac & Cheese [Everydaydish.tv, video plus recipe]
Seitan with Apples, Quince and Onion [Today Show, scroll down]
Millet-Crusted Mushroom-Leek Pie [Girlie Girl Army, scroll down]

Desserts
Banana-Spelt Bread [Today Show, scroll down]
Tartlettes au Citron [Girlie Girl Army]
Pumpkin-Swirl Cheesecake [Grid, scroll down]
Blood Orange Cupcakes with Easy Dark Chocolate Ganache [Grid]
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Chocolate-Swirl Cheesecake [Today Show, scroll down]

Drinks
Caipirinha
Italian Mojito

oh my darling brussels sprouts

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:13:00 +0000

Cranky Brussels sprouts meet nicey-nice clementines

It seems you can't enter a supermarket this time of year without facing a mountain of crated clementines – and buying a box or two. Part of their appeal is that clementines look and taste like little balls of sunshine – especially important during these cloudy, dreary months. While recovering from my surgery and trying to build back my appetite, these petite orange gems have consistently appealed to me: super sweet, easy to peel, and loaded with healing vitamin C.

I'm not one for cutesy recipe names. But I hope you'll indulge me just this once as I pair the sweet clementine with the cantankerous Brussels sprout. Even though Brussels sprouts can be assertively bitter, a shot of clementine juice subtly tempers and brightens the strong flavor of these mini cabbages. These make a great side, but I also love them served at room temperature, tossed in a green salad. This is a low-fat recipe.

Hint: To quickly juice the clemmies, wash your hands, put on an apron, and give them a gentle squeeze. Speaking of aprons, don't forget to enter my retro apron giveaway contest !

Darling Brussels Sprouts [Clementine-Infused Brussels Sprouts]

3 cloves of garlic, sliced
About 1/2 cup clementine juice [From about 4 clementines]
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup veggie broth, white wine, or water, in order of preference
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix the first 6 ingredients in a 9 x 13 inch roasting dish. Let marinade sit for about 10 minutes, while you clean the Brussels sprouts. [You can make the marinade up to a day before. The longer it sits, the better.]

Toss the sprouts in the marinade, mixing well and ensuring all sprouts are covered and glossy. Bake for 20-30 minutes, checking every 5 minutes until sprouts are tender crisp.

cute retro apron apron giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:29:00 +0000

"Wearing this apron makes me feel like kicking Anthony Bourdain's ass – politely, of course!"

Sorry, no recipes today, kidlets. Truth is, since I had my surgery, I haven't had much of an appetite, although it is finally beginning to reappear. But since it's the season of giving, and my blog supporters have been very, very nice, I thought another giveaway might be in order. [Thanks for all your well wishes, by the way.]

ShabbyApple.com is a très cool fashionista online store, chock-full of vintage-inspired and classic women's dresses, aprons, and accessories. I love how well edited this site is; check out this sexy pencil skirt, for example, and this va-va-voom shift. You can even choose clothing based on your body type by answering a few quick questions. Clothes come is sizes ranging from XXS to XL, and Shabby Apple even offers a 10% off coupon if you sign up for their email. They are also very, very nice because they offered to sponsor this giveaway.

To win the Strawberry Shortcake apron pictured above, you need to do two things (both, not one or the other ):

1. Browse the Shabby Apple site and list, as a comment, the one item on the site you would ask Santa for.
2. "Like" Shabby Apple on Facebook.

Sorry folks, but this contest is only open to those with US shipping addresses.

Good luck. I'll announce the winner in a few days, and will hopefully, by then, will have some new recipes to share.

stuffed poblanos with tamarind-maple lentils and contest winner

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:09:00 +0000

Not your mama's stuffed pepper

Sorry I've been off the grid. Mid-week, I had a procedure done in the hospital for my ginormous fibroid. I stayed overnight and have been recuperating at home for the past several days. Since my appetite has gone on vacation and I've been in a bit of pain, I haven't been cooking much [thank goodness for smoothies and Satsumas!]. But I'd like to share a recipe I created before my surgery for Stuffed Poblanos with Tamarind-Maple Lentils. I think I'll be making it often.

When it comes to heat, poblano peppers can be hit or miss. Sometimes, they taste as mild and sweet as bell peppers, and sometimes they are hotter than a hoochie mama in Daisy Dukes and stilettos. I thought that stuffing poblanos with a sweet [apples or quince, sweet potatoes and maple syrup] and sour [tamarind, lime] lentil mixture would complement every segment of the poblano heat spectrum. This is also a pretty dish to serve up: deep green peppers punctuated with umber lentils, sparks of orange sweet potatoes, purple peppers and sunny yellow cheese. [Oh, the phytochemicals!]

Stuffed poblanos, just out of the oven.

It's also flexible. You can use bell peppers instead of the poblanos. You can also make the lentil mixture on its own as a side dish or Sloppy Joe recipe. And if you skip, or reduce the amount, of Daiya cheese, this recipe can be very low fat. Although this recipe is a bit time-consuming to make, if you like complex Southwestern food, it's worth the effort.

Before I hand over the recipe, I'd like to announce the winner of the Ovega contest. Congratulations to ....drumroll!.... DREAMINITVEGAN! Please email me and tell me your address.

Stuffed Poblanos with Tamarind-Maple Lentils

1/2 cup lentils
1 quince or apple, peeled and finely diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
3/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp olive oil
6 poblano peppers, seeded, gutted. Dice the tops finely and set aside
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red onion, diced
Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp cumin
2 tsp tamarind paste
1-2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp cocoa or cacao powder
3 T maple syrup
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Daiya Pepper Jack cheese [optional but wonderful]

Serves 6

Cook the lentils and apple or quince in the vegetable broth: Cover, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes or until all water is absorbed and fruits, potatoes and lentils are soft. [If they're soft and still liquidy, feel free to just drain the excess water.] Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment [for easy clean-up later].

In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat oil over medium. Add diced pepper tops, garlic, and onion. Cook until soft, about 5-10 minutes, adding a bit of water and/or salt to the pan, as needed, if oil dries out. Once soft, add the cooked lentil mixture to the pan and mix well with remaining ingredients, except for the Daiya cheese. Stuff the peppers with the mixture. Arrange on the cookie sheet and top with cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

omega-3-rich millet recipe and giveaway contest

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:24:00 +0000

A sunshine-yellow, gluten free side, rich in omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids. You hear a lot about them in the media, because most Americans are deficient, but what are they. exactly? Omega 3s are basically good fats that support brain, eye and heart health. They are essential to the anti-inflammatory process.

Most people [are primed to] think that omega-3 fatty acids come from fish. Wrong! Fish get their omegas from algae. Most of the salmon that Americans consume actually comes from fish farms. Ironically, even though these farm-bred salmon are touted as good sources of omega-3s, they never even enjoy as much as a nibble of the power-packed algae that supplies omega 3s.

Lots of vegan food sources of omeag-3s exist. Personally, I'm not into algae, but I do add Green Superfoods Powder and ground flaxseeds to my smoothies. [Remember: you need to grind the flax or the beneficial omegas will right pass through your system with the rest of the seeds] Ground flax is also a nice nutty topping when sprinkled over salads and vegan gratins. Walnuts, soybeans and tofu are also excellent omega-3 sources, as is purslane–but it's rarely available here.

This wintry omega-3 millet recipe gets its flavor – and a boatload of phytochemicals–from an earthy triumvirate of mushrooms, and its sunny yellow disposition from a spoonful of turmeric. Did I mention that it's low fat? And if you're interested in trying a vegan omega-3 supplement, scroll down for the giveaway contest details...

This millet makes a tasty foundation for the Blackened Tofu in Isa Chandra Moskowitz' Appetite for Reduction, my latest obsession

oh! Mega-3 Mushroom Millet

1/2 cup dried mushrooms [eg, porcini, oyster, black]
1 cup water
1 tsp oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 pound mixed mushrooms, chopped [eg, cremini, shiitake, oyster]
Extra water, broth or white wine for low-fat sauteeing
1 cup millet
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup edamame
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Serves 4-6

Soak dried mushrooms in 1 cup of hot water for at least 15 minutes. Set aside. [Do not toss water.]
Heat oil in a large casserole over medium. Saute garlic, ginger and shallots until soft, about 5 minutes. If they start to dry out, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and add 1 T of water, broth or white wine to reconstitute. This keeps the dish low in fat.
Add chopped mushrooms. Cook until soft. Again, continue adding more liquid as needed to water saute.
Add soaked mushrooms, soaking water, broth, millet, edamame and turmeric. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Stir in parsley and fluff with a fork. Top with toasted nuts.

Ovega 3 Giveaway Contest
Ovega-3 is a vegan supplement that contains omega-3s in the form of DHA and EPA. The good folks at Ovega sent me some samples to try, and I'm hooked [pun kinda' intended]. I like the fact that I can get my daily dose of brain-boosting DHA and cardioprotective EPA in just one tablet.

Ovega-3 would like to give a bottle of their supplement to one lucky reader. All you have to do is leave a comment. Please make sure there's a way I can contact you, either via email or a blog. I'll pick one lucky winner late next week.

maple-glazed pumpkin-pecan scones

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:19:00 +0000

Got pumpkin? Make scones.

If you're frugal like me, you stocked up on canned pumpkin while it was on sale for the Thanksgiving holiday. Dive right into your canned pumpkin stash by baking these semi-healthy, maple-laced scones [Anything with pumpkin can be labeled "semi-healthy" because of its massive vitamin A content]. They hit the spot for breakfast, slathered with Earth Balance or jam [or better yet, pumpkin or apple butter], but I think they're just fine on their own – the perfect accessory for your cappucino and Sunday Times. They also freeze beautifully.

MAPLE-GLAZED, PUMPKIN-PECAN SCONES
Scones

3 cups flour
2 heaping T soy flour
1 cup canned, unsweetened pumpkin [about 1/2 a can; you can freeze the rest in a ziplock bag]
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 T baking powder
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
4 T Earth Balance
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Maple Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp maple extract
2 T soy cream or non-dairy milk

Makes 16 scones

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet or line with a silpat or parchment.
Mix dry ingredients, including chopped nuts, in a large bowl. Cut in the Earth Balance, and using your fingers [my preferred method] or a pastry cutter, work in the EB until it's well integrated. The mixture should feel like sand.
Mix wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir the wet into the dry until just mixed. Now's not the time to be a perfectionist. The dough will be slightly sticky; this is normal. Divide the dough in two and form into two rounds, about 7-8 inches in diameter, on the cookie sheet. Gently each round into 8 slices.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a knife comes inserted in the thickest part of the scone comes out clean.
While the scones are baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients. When scones are completely cook, either spread or drizzle on the glaze.

lower-fat hash browns and my thanksgiving recipes on today show site

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:07:00 +0000

The secret of a crispy hash brown? Squeeze out as much water as you can.

Want to succeed at hash browns without really trying? I have two words for you: squeeze and patience. [You'll see why once you read the recipe, below.] If you make them in a non-stick pan like I do, they can actually be semi-healthy – at least, say, compared to greasy spoon diner hash browns. My new cookbook, Celebrate Vegan, features a decadent recipe for Down Home Hash Browns for 4. The recipe below is a lower-fat modification that I'm calling 1-1-1 Hash Browns. It serves 1, and you use 1 potato and 1 tsp of oil.

Celebrate Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes on the TODAY Show Web Site

Fig-Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash from Celebrate Vegan. Get the recipe on the TODAY Show web site.

Before I give you the hash brown recipe, if you need some Thanksgiving menu ideas, yesterday, the TODAY Show web site featured some Thanksgiving recipes from my new cookbook. It also showcased some yummy dishes from Sarah Kramer [one of my vegan heroes]. Check out the article if you need some plant-based Thanksgiving inspiration. Recipes shown include:

Fig-Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash [My recipe]
Seitan with Apples and Quince [My recipe]
Chocolate-Swirl Cheesecake [My recipe]
Wilted Kale Super Salad [Sarah's recipe]
Savory Shepherd's Pie with Mushroom Gravy [Sarah's recipe]
Wolffie's Pumpkin Pie [Sarah's recipe]

"1-1-1" Lower-Fat Hash Browns

1 potato, peeled and grated
1 tsp canola oil
Salt and pepper

Serves 1

First, using cheesecloth or a clean linen tea towel, squeeze all the water from the taters. All of it. Till your hands hurt. This will make for a crispy hash browns.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium. Spread the hash browns in an even layer and season with salt and pepper.

Here's where the patience comes in. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes. Resist the urge to peek any sooner. Go brush your teeth and make the bed. Put a load of laundry in. After about 10 mins, gently lift the browns with a spatula to see if they're golden on the bottom. If not, cook a few more minutes, If they are golden, gently flip them, cook for 10-15 minutes on the other side. Eat as is or with ketchup.

veni, vidi, vedge!

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:38:00 +0000

Vedge's "Cide" Car, made with cider, apple jack, brandy and the usual suspects – unusually addictive

Philadelphia vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike have been waiting with baited breath for the opening of Vedge, Kate Jacoby and Rich Landau's new vegan restaurant. Like everyone, I was sad to see their firstborn, Horizons, close. But I knew that the dynamic duo were marinating a brilliant concept – a vegan restaurant that would actually focus on – gasp! – vegetables, an idea stunning in its simplicity. Veggie eateries tend to feature protein-centric menus overflowing with tofu, tempeh, and beans, so it's refreshing to see vegetables used as the centerpiece of a culinary point of view. As someone who likes to try a little of this and that, I also like the fact that Vedge's menu will focus on small plates.

Korean Tacos with Seitan and Kimchee Mayo

If anyone can show off the inherent splendor of a vegetable, it's Rich. He is, without a doubt, one of the most talented chefs in the country, vegan or otherwise [and you know I am not one to throw away a culinary compliment]. Mere mortal that I am, I feel haughty when I successfully pair just one or two foodstuffs. But Rich's dishes habitually contain at least three, and sometimes even four or five complex elements, all paired with the easiness of a match made in heaven. Case in point, this Korean Taco appetizer: crispy shell with spicy seitan, cooling daikon, refreshing cilantro, creamy avocado and a kick-ass kimchee mayo.

Got protein? Don't worry, Vedge features tofu and seitan, too.

The Gochuchang Tofu was my favorite. Gochuchang is a spicy Korean pepper paste which featured prominently in the marinade. It was tender-chewy, as it should be, grilled to perfection with Rich's signature crosshatches.

This ain't your Nonna's braciole.

The Smoked Eggplant Braciole was sublime: silky slivers of eggplant wrapped around tender cauliflower, resting in a emerald puddle of onion pea verde. This dish was F-Stop's favorite – and he hates eggplant. Enough said, right?

Handmade bitters? Sweet!

Vedge's bar is well stocked and 100% vegan. They even make their own bitters from citrus rinds. Now that's going above and beyond!

Clockwise from the fork, Figgy Cheesecake, Coconut Macaroon, Chocolate-Filled Beignets (Not the official Vedge names!)

The powdered beignets were filled with a surprise: a creamy chocolate center. The cookies were all delicious, including the macaroons. Kate is famous for her creamy, omni-fooling cheesecakes, and her fig-topped wonder [shown on the fork] did not disappoint. I can't wait to order a large slice – or an entire cake. In fact, I can't wait to go back to Vedge. They open on Monday, November 21.

curried asparagus soup with caramelized onions and so delicious contest winner

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Sweet, browned onions meet sweet Caribbean curry

This asparagus-based soup is all about assertive flavors, namely a sweet-n-sassy blast of Caribbean curry and toffee-esque caramelized onions.

Curry powders and pastes use various mixtures of local spices to create unique blends of heat and seasoning. Indian curries, for example, often contain fenugreek and mustard seeds, while many Thai curry pastes house a heaping helping of sour Kafir lime leaves. Although you technically could use any curry powder or paste for this dish, I recommend Carribean curry powder. The signature allspice and sweetness elevates and enhances this gentle asparagus base. [We can always get more specific: Caribbean curry powders also vary from island to island, and I'd venture to guess, from grandma to grandma! So I'll just leave it at "Caribbean."]

Caramelized onions are one of the easiest flavor boosters in the world to prepare and liven up just about any dish, from pastas and salads, to soups and entrees. Cooking them over medium heat slowly and methodically is not only meditative; it also teases out the onions inherent sweetness. Plus, the lovely umber color is appropriately autumnal and contrasts nicely against this celadon potage.

Before I share the recipe, it's time to announce the winner of the So Delicious free product coupons. Without further ado....drumroll....congrats to FOOD FUED. Please email me with your address and I'll put your coupons in the mail.

Curried Asparagus Soup with Caramelized Onion

1 large onion, sliced
1 T olive oil
Salt
1 large bunch of asparagus, trimmed and roughly chopped [About 3 cups, reserve a few tips for garnish]
2 cups non-dairy milk
2 cups vegetable broth
2 T Caribbean curry powder

Serves 4

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the onions, and cook, stirring now and then, for about 15-20 minutes or until browned. If the onions start to stick, sprinkle them with a bit of salt. This will draw out some moisture. Transfer the onions to another dish and set aside.

You may notice a brown residue branded on the bottom of your dish from the onion cooking process. Do not clean this. This oniony burnish will help flavor your soup.

Add everything else to the soup pot along with about 1/4 cup of the onions. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is soft. When it's cool enough, puree in a blender or with an immersion blender.

To serve, ladle into bowls, top each dish with 1/4 of the onions and a few asparagus tips.

easy coconut creme brulee and coco-contest

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:50:00 +0000

Coconut-based creme brulee? What's not to like?

Holidays like Thanksgiving can be stressful, especially for vegans and vegetarians who want to wow and amaze their meat-centric families with knock-your-socks-off recipes that disprove all the eye-rolling, smirks and nose wrinkles. That's why I wrote Celebrate Vegan: 200 Life-Affirming Recipes for Occasions Big and Small. And I'm not the only one watching your plant-based back. Have you tried the incredible holiday nogs from So Delicious? I practically chugged down the entire carton of Chocolate Mint in one sitting. And the Classic Nog is richer and creamier than any nog you've ever tasted, dairy-and-egg laden versions included. In fact, I like to use it as a coffee and tea creamer--it's that decadent.

The Classic Nog inspired me to create an easy, coconut creme brulee recipe. You don't even need to buy a fancy creme brulee torch [though you're certainly welcome to use one if you have one]; you "burn" the sugar topping by placing the gelled brulees under the broiler for a few minutes. [Brulée means "burnt" in French, in case you were wondering]

Before I hand over the recipe, I'd like to announce another contest. The winner will get not one, but TWO coupons for a free So Delicious product. To enter, simply leave a comment and tell me your favorite Thanksgiving food. I'll announce the random winner in a few days.

So Delicious nogs: another yummy reason to love autumn

Easy Coconut-Nog Creme Brulee

2 cups So Delicious Coconut Nog
1 1/2 T agar flakes or powder
About 1/2-3/4 cup light brown sugar

Serves 4

Pour the nog into a saucepan. Add the agar powder or flakes, stir and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Place on stove and bring it to a boil slowly over medium-high. Boil for one minute, stirring to ensure agar dissolves.

Pour into serving ramekins or serving dishes. Place in 'fridge and allow to cool for at least an hour.

Turn on broiler. Sprinkle the top of each serving with a generous coating of brown sugar, at least 2 T. Place under the broiler and broil until the sugar starts to bubble and darken slightly, about 5-7 minutes [Be sure to check every minute or so, at this point]. Or alternately, torch the sugar with a creme brulee torch.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate for another hour or two and serve.

blast from the past :: punka pie and apple pie recipes

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:14:00 +0000

This post first ran on November 29, 2006 on my original blog – time flies when you're having fun. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought it was a good time to repost my pumpkin and apple pie recipes [They also appear in The Urban Vegan]. Speaking of pies, please check out Terry Hope Romero's and Isa Chandra Moskowitz' adorable new book – and part 3 of their holy trinity of baking – Vegan Pie in the Sky.

PUNKA PIE AND APPLE PIE, TOO

PUNKA PIE

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Flaky Pie Crust:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
scant 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
1/4 cup Earth Balance
2-4 T ice water

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in shortening and butter. If you want a flaky crust, be careful not to overmix. Add enough water to make dough stick together when you squeeze it, then let the dough chill in the 'fridge for 30 minutes. Roll into one disk on a lightly floured surface.

Filling:
1 can unsweetened pumpkin
2 boxes firm Mori Nu tofu (DON'T use refrigerated tofu!)
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 T egg replacer or soy flour, plus 4 T water

Mix everything in a food processor until smooth.

Roll out dough and place into greased pie pan. Flute edges as desired. Pour in the batter, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace between filling and crust edge. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350 and bake for 35 minutes. Refrigerate pie for several hours before slicing.

If you happen to have leftover pie filling, bake it in a greased dish for 30 minutes at 350, and voila--punka pudding.

URBAN APPLE PIE:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Crust
Double the crust recipe, above. Divide dough and roll into two disks.

Filling
5 large organic Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
2 T flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 T vanilla
2/3 cup soy half and half [or vanilla soy milk]
Demerara sugar, to sprinkle on top [optional[

Combine ingredients and spoon into prepared crust. Top with the second crust and crimp edges as desired. Sprinkle with sugar. Put the pie on a cookie sheet [to avoid nasty cleanup later] and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 350 and bake for 45 more minutes until the top is golden. [If crust seems to brown too quickly, cover the pie with aluminum foil]. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

guy fawkes day, london particular and winners

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:57:00 +0000

London Particular – an "easy, peasy" soup

Happy Guy Fawkes Day! I am fascinated by this UK holiday, which has moribund origins but is now a rather lighthearted celebration. It all started when Guy Fawkes was executed for his traitorous role in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The grisly details of his death are actually pretty sickening, but are certainly in keeping with that period of time. Over the years – and centuries – Guy Fawkes Day has evolved into a bona-fide celebration – and not of the politically correct variety. Revelers build a huge bonfire, burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes and watch fireworks – and then enjoy warming foods, like soup.

Enter London Particular, a thin, smoky version of a basic split pea soup. It's warming and substantial enough that it will please the palates of hungry veg-heads and omnivores, alike. Plus, it's easy to make and is extremely frugal: I calculated the conservative cost per serving to be 50 cents, based on prices in the Philly region.

My recipe for London Particular appears in my new cookbook, Celebrate Vegan. The book includes 200 plant-based recipes for a slew of traditional, civic and religious holidays, as well as for quirky international and offbeat holidays – like Guy Fawkes Day.

Before I hand off the recipe, without further ado, here are the contest winners...[drumroll]....
Twitter [FREE copy of Celebrate Vegan]: @veganmachine -- Kaycee.
Blog [FREE coupon-a-rama: vouchers for a free So Delicious product, free Earth Balance Coconut Spread, free Tribe Hummus and a free Tofutti product.]: JENNA, in all caps!
Congratulations@ Please email me with your mailing address, amigos.

London Particular

1 cup dried split peas, soaked overnight in water [You can also use yellow or red split peas]
2 T Earth Balance
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
5 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Up to 1 tsp liquid smoke, or to taste

Serves 4 hungry revelers

Drain and rinse the peas. In a stock pot, melt the Earth Balance and saute the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.

Throw everything else in the pot [Told you this is easy!]. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until everything is soft.

Carefully puree the soup in a blender or using an immersion blender. Adjust seasonings.

recipe :: pasta with creamy romanesco

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:17:00 +0000

The bad news: I'm going to make you wait another day or two until I announce the winners of my contest.
The good news: There's still time to enter. [Wink, wink!]

If Kermit the Frig were a vegetable, he would be romanesco.

Romanesco is an alien-looking vegetable. It reminds me of something that should live in the sea, like a Christmas Tree Worm and its odd appearance conjures up all sorts of steam-of-consciousness visuals. As you can probably guess from looking at this pale celadon wonder, romanesco is related to both cauliflower and broccoli. I find its taste ever-so-slightly more bitter than either, which is fine by me because I adore bitter veggies. Since it's not something you run across every day, especially in organic form, I was thrilled to find two heads in last week's CSA share [Two heads are, indeed, better than one].

Orchiette, or "little ears" are the perfect cups to scoop up this creamy sauce.

You can use romanesco in pretty much the same way you use its more popular cruciferous cousins. I used it to make an easy, creamy-noochy pasta topping. You can use gluten-free pasta, whole wheat pasta or plain old white pasta, like I did. Scroll down for the recipe...

Kitty Lit...

Many of you have been asking for kitty updates, so here's the latest. The Three Stooges are all fine. Bossa Nova still sleeps on the job. She's getting sweeter – to me, at least. She still swats at Buttons and hisses at Pablo.

Buttons is enjoying her senior years. She's been with me for 3 years now and is likely close to 14-15 years old. I don't even think she remembers her early days as a gutter kitty. As you can see from this iPhone shot, she loves napping in the sleeping bag next to Pablo, who is twice as big as this five-pound bag of sugar.

Pasta with Creamy Romanesco

2 heads romanesco, chopped and steamed
1 T olive oil
Anywhere from a dash to 1 tsp paprika
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 cup nutritional yeast
2 cups bite-sized pasta [eg, orchiette, penne, farfalle, rotini]
Salt, to taste

Serves 2

Start cooking the pasta according to the directions on the box.
Heat the oil in a medium pan and add paprika to taste [I use the whole teaspoon!]. Add garlic and saute until soft, about 4 minutes.
Lower heat to medium-low. Add the milk and whisk in the nutritional yeast. Stir in the steamed romanesco and cook until warmed through and thick-ish, about 10 minutes.
Drain the pasta and gently toss with the sauce. Add salt to taste.

vegan mofo :: grand finale contest! win a copy of my new cookbook (and surprise prize)!

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 23:52:00 +0000

It's here – finally!

I have in my hot little hands a finished copy of my new cookbook, Celebrate Vegan: 200 Life-Affirming Recipes for Occasions Big and Small. It took about 2 years to complete from concept to finish, and seeing it all "grown up" and ready to go out into the world in its own is a bit surreal. And talk about coincidences: the book centers on celebrations and holidays, and my box of authors' copies arrives on Halloween. Spooky!

To celebrate my book of vegan celebrations -- and to mark the end of Vegan Mofo 2011, I am hosting one last, grand finale contest. To enter, simply follow me [@theurbanvegan] on Twitter. I'll announce winner in a few days. [Please spread the word!]

And as a special added bonus... if you leave a comment here, telling me what you'd like to see more of on my blog [eg, raw recipes, decadent recipes, travel tips], you'll be eligible to win a second, blog-only prize. I'll also announce the blog-only winner –and prize – in a few days.

Happy Halloween and good luck!

vegan mofo :: semi-healthy monkey bread recipe

noreply@blogger.com (urban vegan) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:58:00 +0000

Monkey Bread after the second rise, ready to go into the oven.

Who doesn't love Monkey Bread? Think of this gooey pull-apart sweet as part cinnamon bun and part Dunkin' Munchkin'. Recipes for Monkey Bread first started popping up in women's magazines in the 1950s, and although there's much speculation about the origins of its intriguing name, I haven't found one yet that I actually believe. No matter. Like Will Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Even if Monkey Bread were called Hippo Bread, it would still taste just as seratonin-inducing and comforting. What's not comforting is the fact that most Monkey Breads are made using....shudder!... refrigerated, store-bought biscuit mix and more butter than a Paula Dean buffet.

My first cookbook, The Urban Vegan, included a recipe for Deconstructed Monkey Bread. I created it because, although I love all the flavors of Monkey Bread [cinnamon, sugar, sticky caramel], I don't always have time to wait around for the yeast to rise, and frankly, sometimes, I just can't always be bothered. But yesterday's untimely snowstorm inspired some extreme kitchen lingering. So I set out to further "healthify" and veganize a traditional yeasted Monkey Bread recipe that I spotted in Cooking Light. While this baked, my loft smelled much more fragrant than a candle shop. I'm sure the neighbors were jealous. Scroll down for the recipe...

Monkey Bread is perfect for breakfast with coffee or tea. I like it warmed with extra Earth Balance [I know, I know]

Working with Yeast for Neophytes
If you've never worked with yeast before, understanding the basic science behind the rising process is an important foundation. Once you "get" how yeast works, you'll be less apt to mess up the process.

Yeast is a living organism. It's dormant in packages and jars, much like seeds in a packet. Like seeds, yeast needs nourishment, moisture, and warmth to grow. So think of your yeast as a little pet that needs to be nurtured. The first step is to add warm liquid to the yeast to activate it or "wake it up." This is the most important step: If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Too cool, and the yeast won't wake up. Many recipes list optimal "wake up" temperatures between 110-125 degrees, but I don't own a thermometer and have never used one. I just use the "feeding the baby" wrist temperature rule. You want the liquid very warm, but not so warm that it would scald a baby's--or an adult's mouth. If it feels neutral but warm on your wrist, it's probably okay.

The yeast also needs food, which is nearly always some form of sugar [In this recipe's case, it's maple syrup]. Once the yeast is warm and starts consuming the sugar, it emits carbon dioxide [yeast farts?!], which – you guessed it – causes your baked goods to rise to light and lovely new heights.

Recipe Semi-Healthy Monkey Bread

Bread:

3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 T Earth Balance, melted
3/4 cup neutral, non-dairy milk--very warm*
3 T orange juice, very warm*
3 T maple syrup

Cinnamon Coating:

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered ginger

"Glue:"

2 T Earth Balance, melted
1/4 cup non-dairy milk

Glaze:

6 T powdered sugar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1 T non-dairy milk
1 tsp orange zest [optional]

Makes 1 bundt pan of Monkey Bread, about 12 substantial servings

Spray a large bowl and a bundt pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a stand mixer's mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast, and using dough hook, stir briefly to mix.
In a glass bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, heat the Earth Balance, milk, orange juice and maple syrup until very warm.
With mixer running, slowly add the warm liquid. Mix on medium until spring and smooth, about 5 minutes or so. Gather dough into a ball, roll in the bowl to coat with cooking spray, then cover with a tea towel or aluminum foil and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise– about 1 hour.
Mix cinnamon coating ingredients in a shallow dish.
Mix "glue" ingredients in a shallow dish.
Punch down dough and divide into 8 balls. [Cover the balls you're not working with so they don't dry out.] Roll each ball into an 8-inch log and cut into 3 pieces. Roll each one into a ball. Dip the ball in the "glue," then roll it in the sugar, then toss it in the oiled bundt pan. Continue this way until you use up all the dough,
Again, cover the bundt pan with foil or a tea towel, and let it rise somewhere warm and draft-free until doubled in bulk, about an hour. About 15 minutes before the yeast has crescendoed, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. [Enjoy the aroma!]
While the bread is baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients.
Let the bread cool for about 5 minutes, then flip it out onto a large plate. [You can also just leave it in the bundt pan, which doesn't look as pretty, but I find much easier to store]
Drizzle with glaze and enjoy!