what the hell _does_ a vegan eat anyway?

Strawberry and Raspberry Cream Cheese Tart

2012-05-25T23:24:00.001-04:00

Dessert 05/25

Strawberry and Raspberry Cream Cheese Tart

Believe it or not, the original recipe (using vegan subs as needed) is from Good Housekeeping! ;)

Taco Party!

2012-05-24T23:38:00.002-04:00

Dinner 05/24

Taco Party

We're gonna have a Taco Party Tonight! Alright!

It's been ages since we've made our own tortillas (2007?!), but they were so worth the effort.

Clockwise from upper left: Mushrooms, Radishes/Red Onions, Corn Tortillas, Rajas (poblano, red bell pepper & red onion), Shredded Lettuce, Soyrizo and in the center square ~~Paul Lynde~~ Guacamole.

The tortillas were super easy to make (2 cups of masa, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp. smoked sea salt) -- then the dough was rolled into small golf ball size chunks and pressed out in our handy tortilla press and cooked in a cast-iron pan set on ~~stun~~ high (about 2 minute on the first side, and 30 seconds on the flip).

Tandoori Tofu, Chana Masala, Pistachio and Currant Biryani, Cauliflower and Scallions with Black Mustard Seeds

2012-05-22T23:02:00.002-04:00

Dinner 05/22

Tandoori Tofu

Chana Masala

Pistachio and Currant Biryani

Cauliflower and Scallions with Black Mustard Seeds

A weeknight Indian mini-feast, with brightly colored tandoori tofu, tangy chana masala and a base of fragrant basmati rice with the addition of pistachio nuts and currants.

The cauliflower dish comes from Julie Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking" -- we adapted it slightly by adding cut green beans at the same time as the scallions.

1 small head cauliflower
2 bunches of scallions
1/2 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces (optional)
3 tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. black or brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. smoked sea salt (to taste)

1/3 cup hot water

Separate cauliflower into very small florets (about 1/2") wash in cold water & drain.

Trim the root ends of the scallions and chop them (including the green part) into 1/4" pieces.

Measure out the spices and place them, the vegetables, and 1/3 cup hot water right next to the stove

Heat 3 Tbs. of the oil over high heat in a large frying pan or wok. When the oil is very hot, carefully add the mustard seeds. Keep a lid handy because the seeds may splutter when added. When the mustard seeds turn grey (about 3 minutes) add turmeric, chilies and salt, stirring rapidly.

Add the cauliflower. Stir to distribute the spices and add the hot water. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, covered, until the cauliflower is cooked to crispy-tender (15-20 minutes).

Uncover, increase heat to medium, add scallions and green beans (if using) and stir fry to evaporate any moisture remaining in the pan and to lightly brown the cauliflower and cook the scallions (about 5-10 minutes).

Check for salt, serve immediately.

Lasagna

2012-05-18T23:13:00.000-04:00

Dinner 05/18

Lasagna

We tweaked the base recipe by using no-bake rice noodles and radish greens in place of the mustard greens and made it in a 9 x 13 pan. It also took a bit longer to bake because of the rice noodles (about 45-50 minutes total).

Mung Bean Noodles with Gingko Nuts, Scallion Pancakes

2012-05-17T23:53:00.002-04:00

Vegan Test Kitchen 05/17

Mung Bean Noodles with Gingko Nuts

Scallion Pancakes

Do Not Adjust Your Monitor, It Is Not Broken.

The mung bean noodles were cooked/poached in a liquid that was made of red wine, beet juice, black tea, Bragg's Liquid Aminos and kombu. After cooking they were lightly tossed with sesame oil to keep from sticking. The noodles, which were opaque to begin, readily absorbed the color and flavors nicely.

I can see using these noodles in a variety of ways in the future. Once we test it further, we'll post a basic recipe.

The gingko nuts were rinsed, pan-fried and splashed with a little tamari at the end of cooking.

We totally broke the old scallion pancakes recipe and made one using sweet rice flour, baking powder, sesame oil, tamari and scallions and cooked the batter in the wok. The result was a fluffy/sticky cross between the old recipe and a Japanese-style omelette (think: tamagoyaki).*

This needs to be workshopped some more before posting, but it tastes awesome.

Dragon Roll

2012-05-17T14:10:00.001-04:00

Lunch 05/17

Dragon Roll

"I love it when a plan comes together"

We took Shredded cabbage, tea-smoked tofu, carrot, cucumber, radish, basil, mixed greens and tossed them all with the leftover peanut-based sauce from last night's Dragon Noodle dish and re-purposed it in a rice paper roll for lunch.

Dragon Noodle Salad with Sesame Tofu

2012-05-16T23:00:00.001-04:00

Dinner 05/16

Dragon Noodle Salad with Sesame Tofu

Rice noodles, cucumbers, radishes and salad greens coated with a yummy (and spicy) peanut butter based sauce topped with black sesame seeds.

In other words, AWESOME.

This is a test recipe for Isa's upcoming cookbook, so you know the drill -- we can't give out the recipe.

Red Chile Enchiladas with Mesquite-Smoked Tofu

2012-05-15T23:54:00.001-04:00

Dinner 05/15

Red Chile Enchiladas with Mesquite-Smoked Tofu

Had a hankerin' for some Tex-Mex style enchiladas, so we adapted tonight's meal straight out Rick Bayless' "Mexican Everyday" (pg. 222) -- subbing shredded mesquite-smoked tofu and cheddar Daiya for the filling in the original recipe and veg stock in the chile sauce.

Bourbon-Glazed Hickory-Smoked Tofu with Braised Collard Greens, Rosemary Cornbread Waffles and Gravy

2012-05-13T23:49:00.001-04:00

Dinner 05/13

Bourbon-Glazed Hickory-Smoked Tofu

Braised Collard Greens

Rosemary Cornbread Waffles

Gravy

The tofu was smoked with hickory chips for 25 minutes, pan-fried in canola oil until golden brown on both sides (about 5-6 minutes per side). At the end of cooking it was splashed with a tiny bit of tamari (because there's more in the sauce) and allowed to cook for one additional minute. We removed the tofu from the pan and kept warm while we made the sauce.

The pan was deglazed with a mixture of 1 tbs. bourbon, 1 tbs. brown sugar, 1 tbs. tamari, 3 tbs. water, 1 tbs. maple syrup and 1 tsp. smoked paprika. After it reduced down by half, we added the tofu back and continued to cook the sauce until it completely coated both sides of the tofu -- it's a good idea to keep a close eye on it because of the sugar, as it can quickly go from liquidy to scortchy fast. ;)

The collards and gravy were made the same way as before, and the waffles came from a riff on the savory variation of the cornbread batter in Vegan Diner, adding rosemary to the mix.

A Big Bowl Of Yum Part II

2012-05-11T23:15:00.004-04:00

Dinner 05/11

Three Lentil Stew

Cherry-Smoked Tofu

Braised Leeks

Morel Mushrooms

Green Beans

Roasted Rutabagas

The lentils (french, brown, green, about 2 cups total) were pressure cooked (18 minutes, first ring, 7.5 psi) with enough veg stock (and a splash of tamari) to cover by 1" along with half of an onion studded with three cloves (a.k.a. oignon pique).

The leeks were braised the usual way, and the green beans were cooked (6 minutes) in the same pan after the leeks went in the oven to finish.

The morels were cleaned (twice), dried thoroughly, cut into rings and pan-fried on high heat with olive oil.

The rutabagas were peeled, cut into 1/4" dice, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted for 25 minutes at 425°F.

The tofu was smoked for 25 minutes with cherry wood chips, pan-fried and hit with a splash of tamari at the end of cooking.

Elvis-Fried Tofu with Gravy and Braised Chard

2012-05-07T15:57:00.000-04:00

Dinner 05/07

Elvis-Fried Tofu with Gravy

Braised Chard

Bringing back one of our favorites!

Elvis Fried Tofu
(makes 16 pieces)

1 block of firm tofu
smoker box with hickory chips (optional)
1 1/2 tbs. tamari

Cut the tofu into eight rectangular cutlets, then cut each cutlet diagonally into long triangles.

Smoke the tofu with hickory chips for 25 minutes.

Remove from the smoker box, place the tofu on a flat plate and add the tamari, turn to coat both sides, let marinate for 5 minutes.

3/4 cup of (Einkorn) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of (smoked) paprika (if you have it, if not regular will do)
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Oil (for frying)

Add the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a medium-sized brown paper bag and shake to mix.

Add half of the marinated tofu cutlets and shake until well coated. Remove from bag and knock off excess flour. Repeat with the second batch.

Using two cast-iron skillets add about 1/8" of oil over high heat (If you're using just one cast-iron skillet, divide the tofu into two batches and fry separately). When oil has come to temp, add the coated tofu pieces gently into the oil and fry until well browned on both sides (about 3-4 minutes per side). Drain on a rack (or the brown paper bag).

The gravy started in a large pan on medium heat with in 1 tbs. olive oil, then add 1/2 red onion, diced and cook for 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for one additional minute. Next, make a simple roux by adding 1 tbs. potato flour and cook them together until the roux turns light brown. Then whisk in 1 cup of veg stock, 1 tbs. tamari and fresh cracked black pepper until thickened. Check for seasoning and keep warm.

The chard was slow cooked, starting with 1 tbs. olive oil on med-low heat and adding the other half of the red onion from the gravy, diced and cooked 5-6 minutes. Next, add 2 cloves of minced garlic, salt, pepper & red pepper flakes to taste and cook for another minute. Add the sliced chard and turn until wilted, about 4-5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, slap on the lid and cook for another 5 minutes or so, finishing with a splash of tamari at the end. Check for seasoning.

To assemble, start with the chard as the base and top with the tofu and gravy.

Thankyou, Thankyouverymuch.

Polenta with Collard Greens, Mushrooms and Great Northern Beans

2012-05-04T23:59:00.002-04:00

Dinner 05/04

Polenta

Collard Greens

Mushrooms

Great Northern Beans

Beans & greens my friends, beans & greens

Polenta

The polenta started with 1 cup of fine cornmeal whisked into 4 cups of boiling water seasoned with 1 tbs. of salt. From there we turned down the heat to low and made it like a risotto, adding an additional 2 cups of water, about 1/3 cup at a time here and there (don't sweat the timing, just don't let it scorch the bottom of the pan). Finally, we stirred in 1 tbs. of soy margarine, 1/4 cup of microplaned Smoked Cheddar Sheese, 2 tbs. of nutritional yeast, and 1 tsp. of black pepper. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, and check for seasoning.

Collard Greens

The base started with 1 small minced shallot, sauteed in canola oil on med-high heat for 3-4 minutes, then we added 2 cloves of minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cooked for one more minute. Then we added the collard greens, which were cut into thin strips, turning constantly until wilted (about 4-5 minutes). Then we turned the heat down to low, added 1 tbs. of tamari, stirred to combine, put the lid on and braised it for 10 minutes.

Mushrooms

Cut into 1/8" slices, pan-fried with olive oil on med-high heat until all the liquid is released (7-8 minutes), seasoned with black pepper and a splash of tamari. Add the (cooked) beans, a pinch of salt and stir to heat through.

To plate, layer the polenta, greens, mushrooms & beans and serve hot.

Little Devils

2012-05-04T23:19:00.006-04:00

Dessert 05/04

From "Sticky Fingers' Sweets" by Doron Petersan (pg. 113).

Why yes, they were as good as they look. ;)

Here's what it looks like before we cut them into bars and they all disappeared...

Applewood-Smoked Tofu with Braised Red Cabbage and Zucchini Fritters

2012-05-03T23:10:00.001-04:00

Dinner 05/03

Applewood-Smoked Tofu

Braised Red Cabbage

Zucchini Fritters

The cabbage was sliced thinly, pan-fried in a little olive oil with some red onion until wilted, then we added 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs. of tomato paste, smoked sea salt, pepper and a little smoked paprika and cooked it for an additional minute, turned the heat down to low, put a lid on the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes. Near the end of cooking we added 1 tbs. of balsamic vinegar and a splash of tamari, stirred and cooked it for another minute. Finally, we added a 1/4 cup of shredded carrots (for color and texture) and cooked it for another 2-3 minutes.

The cabbage was topped with the smoked tofu (portioned into 8 cutlets, smoked 25 minutes with applewood) which was pan-fried until golden brown and delicious (about 5 minutes per-side) and splashed with a little tamari at the end of cooking. Each cutlet was then cut into long triangles as shown.

The zucchini fritters are something that our daughter loves -- shredded zucchini, bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, a little Daiya, salt & pepper fried up in the cast-iron pan until nice and crispy, topped with tomato sauce.

Red Cabbage and Potato Soup

2012-04-29T23:54:00.001-04:00

Dinner 04/29

Red Cabbage and Potato Soup

Sunday night comfort food.

Sauteed mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot) with garlic, zucchini, Great Northern beans, red cabbage, potatoes, smoked sea salt, pepper, parsley, veg stock and a tablespoon of miso whisked in at the end to give it a little backbone.

A Big Bowl of Yum

2012-04-28T23:59:00.002-04:00

Dinner 04/28

Morel Mushrooms

Fava Beans

Braised Leeks

Hickory-Smoked Tofu

Roasted Red Potatoes

A little bit of this, a little bit of that and a nice bottle of Pinot Noir -- and the next thing you know, you've got yourself A Big Bowl of Yum for a Saturday night.

Cucumber, Cashew Cheese, Caviar

2012-04-28T23:54:00.000-04:00

Vegan Test Kitchen 04/28

Cucumber, Cashew Cheese, Caviar

It's never too soon to start thinking about appetizers for the annual Holiday Party. ;)

The base of cucumber was cut thinly on the bias using the benriner/mandoline.

The cashew cheese used quinoa rejuvelac and soaked cashews with a bit of white miso and a wee dram of of nama shoyu and a pinch of sea salt.

The caviar, as always came from blanched tapioca pearls marinated in a nori/oolong tea mix with a shot of Braggs liquid aminos to rouund out the flavor.

Green Curry Tofu with Collard Greens, Rice and Shiitake Mushrooms

2012-04-27T23:28:00.001-04:00

Dinner 04/27

Green Curry Tofu with Collard Greens, Rice and Shiitake Mushrooms

We've been making this dish for more than five years now, and we're always finding new ways to tweak it.

The tofu was cut into 16 squares, smoked with oolong tea for 25 minutes, pan-fried in canola oil until golden brown on both sides and finished with 1 tbs. of tamari.

The collard greens were cut into thin strips, pan-fried in canola oil on med-high heat while turning constantly until wilted (about 4-5 minutes). Then turn the heat down to low, add 1 tbs. of tamari, stir to combine, put the lid put on and braise for 10 minutes. Keep warm.

The shiitake mushrooms were thinly sliced and pan-fried, with an added 1 tsp. of tamari at the end of cooking. Set aside.

The rice was steamed for 20 minutes, molded into golf-ball sized pieces and deep-fried for 30-45 seconds at 375F. Drain and set aside.

The sauce was 4 oz. coconut milk, 1 tsp. tamari, as much green (or red) curry paste as you can handle, a tiny little bit of lime to balance the flavor, and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer until slightly thickened. We also added a tiny bit of pan-fried green garlic because we had some left over.

To plate, add the tofu squares, a layer of collard greens, the rice balls and finally the shiitake mushrooms. Add the sauce around the base of the tofu until it coats the plate.

Tofu Parmesan, Zucchini Noodles

2012-04-26T23:46:00.002-04:00

Dinner 04/26

Tofu Parmesan

Zucchini Noodles

After tinkering with the recipe, we decided tonight to serve it over raw zucchini noodles which turned out to be an excellent choice, the zucchini paired nicely with the tomato sauce and held up quite well.

Tofu Parmesan
serves 4

2 cups of your favorite homemade tomato sauce

1 cup of Daiya Mozzarella (or your favorite vegan cheese)

1 cup of bread crumbs
1 tsp. olive oil

As we make a lot of our own bread, so there's always the little pieces leftover that get turned into breadcrumbs. We pulsed them in Vita-mix (using the dry container) and left them fairly coarse as you can see in the picture. In a small saute pan over med-low heat add the olive oil and the breadcrumbs, turning often until lightly browned. Keep a close eye on these as they tend to go from light brown to dark quickly when your not looking. ;)

Set aside.

1 block of extra firm tofu portioned into eight cutlets and smoked
1 tbs. tamari
1/4 cup (Einkorn) flour
1 tbs. olive oil

In a shallow bowl add the tamari and the tofu and toss to coat well, let marinate for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally.

In a small pan add the flour and coat each piece of tofu completely, shaking off any excess.

In a large saute pan over med-high heat add the olive oil and cook the tofu cutlets until browned on both sides -- about 5 minutes per turn.

To assemble, add the tomato sauce to the pan, completely coating the tofu. Turn down the heat to low, sprinkle the vegan cheese on top and place a lid on the pan for 2-3 minutes until it melts. Remove the lid and sprinkle on the breadcrumbs.

To serve, place a cutlet on the zucchini noodles (below) and add fresh cut basil.

2 medium zucchini, spiral cut

The zucchini noodles were cut using "Cook Help" -- they were peeled, cut in half (to fit in the spiralizer) and turned using the medium blade which makes the noodles about the same thickness as spaghetti.

Raw Food Wednesday: Parsnip Noodles with Cilantro Walnut Pesto

2012-04-25T12:54:00.001-04:00

Raw Food Wednesday 04/25

Parsnip Noodles with Cilantro Walnut Pesto

We broke out the "spiral cutter gadget thingy" again and cranked out some spiralized parsnip noodles (recipe from Matthew Kenney's "Everyday Raw Express") which were exceptionally creamy this time around.

Chili Salad with Guacamole and Chips

2012-04-24T23:51:00.001-04:00

Dinner 04/24

Chili Salad with Guacamole and Chips

I think the idea for dinner started out as a Taco Salad, but morphed into a Chili Salad along the way. No one complained. ;)

The chili contained the usual suspects: kidney & pinto beans, tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, a pinch of cocoa powder, salt & pepper, and lots of slow & low cooking time.

It was served on top of chopped romaine lettuce accompanied by guacamole, vegan sour cream and blue chips.

Yuba Money Bag

2012-04-21T23:32:00.001-04:00

Vegan Test Kitchen 04/21

Yuba Money Bag

The last of today's vegan test kitchen experiments -- "money bags" made with yuba sheets that had been cut into 5" squares and soaked in a mix of tamari, water and a tiny bit of sesame oil. The yuba were then pan-fried, ever so briefly to keep them flexible enough to wrap, but slightly crispy enough to break apart when chewed, about 15 seconds per side.

The filling was a stir-fry made of carrot, tea-smoked tofu, green garlic, ginger and black "Forbidden Rice" (again).

We added about 2 tbs. of filling into the center of the yuba sheet, drew up the edges and tied it with a strip of collard greens.

This is more of a two-bite app, or you can cut the money bag open and release the stir-fry "prize" inside ;)

Forbidden Rice Daikon Roll with Kimchi

2012-04-21T15:16:00.001-04:00

Vegan Test Kitchen 04/21

Forbidden Rice Daikon Roll with Kimchi

A small one bite app that was a play on an inside out sushi roll. It features a daikon piece cut 1/2" thick and then made round with a cookie cutter, then the center cut out with a apple corer.

The daikon rounds were gently poached in a mix of water and rice vinegar for 5 minutes and allowed to cool before assembling.

The center was filled with "Forbidden Rice" (black rice) that was pressure cooked for 25 minutes on the second ring (15 psi) with a 1" piece of kombu. After cooking, it was combined with a mixture of 1/4 cup rice vinegar that was heated to dissolve 1 tbs. of sugar and a pinch of smoked salt.

Rounding out the spoon was a little home made kimchi.

The daikon stayed slightly crisp and was a nice contrast to the chewy earthiness of the black rice. The kimchi added a hit of chile, saltiness and vinegar that reminded us of sushi.

Seared Watermelon with Balsamic Glaze

2012-04-21T12:09:00.001-04:00

Vegan Test Kitchen 04/21

Seared Watermelon with Balsamic Glaze

The watermelon was portioned into strips, scored with a knife on top, seared in a very hot pan with a drop of canola oil on all four sides, hit with a little tamari and then a splash of balsamic vinegar until glazed (about 15 seconds).

It didn't taste like watermelon at all, which was the idea.

Tofu Parmesan with Zucchini

2012-04-18T23:13:00.001-04:00

Dinner 04/18

Tofu Parmesan

Sauteed Zucchini

The short version: alder-smoked tofu coated in (Einkorn) flour, pan-fried, topped with tomato sauce, bread crumbs, Daiya and basil.

Longer version: coming soon.

The zucchini was cut in rounds, quartered and pan-fried in olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper.