Veggie Alchemy

New England "Clam" Chowder

2012-02-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

I promised to post this recipe almost two years ago but never got around to it. It's a good thing too, because I've tweaked it again and feel that it's even better than the first version. There are a few steps that require some prep ahead of time, but if you spread it out over a couple days, this soup comes together pretty fast. This chowder is as close as I've gotten to the real thing without having to cave in to the frozen, premade "clam" substitutes on the market. Those products can be great in a pinch, but I like to keep it real with Eryngii mushrooms aka King Oyster mushrooms. King Oyster mushrooms are really versatile and can be quite convincing when attempting to recreate seafood dishes. Recently, at the last Castle Gourmet dinner, Chef Anne Lee and I seared up some sliced King Oyster mushrooms "scallops" for our main dish and got a few oohs and ahhs from our guests. They are damn tasty, especially with garlic and lemon. When you head to the store for your mushrooms, get a pound and try them out in pasta dishes for a "shrimp scampi" or saute them up and put them in a sushi roll. If you don't like mushrooms, well, I guess there's just no hope for you.

Kidding. Totally kidding. Why are we friends again?

For this recipe you'll need a little over a half pound.

1/2 lb King Oyster Mushrooms, quartered length-wise and diced
1/2 medium shallot
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon canola oil

2-3 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 shallot, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
2 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled, rinsed and cubed (I like russets)
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
4 cups faux chicken broth or veggie broth (I use powder "chicken" bouillon and mix with water, make sure it's not too salty)
2 cups cashew cream or mimicreme (making your own is best!)
2-3 teaspoons mild miso paste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon crushed roasted nori (crumble up a 2 in. square of nori)
smoked or regular sea salt to taste
fresh pepper to taste

Method

In a pan over medium high heat, add a tablespoon of oil and drop in your diced mushrooms. Cook for about 4 minutes until the mushrooms start giving up some of their juices. Add in the half shallot and saute for another 3-4 minutes, until mushrooms begin to lightly brown around the edges. Careful not to burn the shallot. Pour in your liquid smoke, stir to mix and remove from heat. Place mushrooms in a bowl and set aside.

In a stock pot over medium high heat, sprinkle sea salt at the bottom of the pot and heat up for a minute. Add your oil. When oil is hot, add the onion, shallot and garlic. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add in the celery. Continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes. Add the bay leaf and thyme, then pour in the veggie or faux chicken broth. Add your potatoes at this point. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. After your soup has cooked for about 10 minutes, gently mix the miso paste with the cashew cream and add this mix to the soup. Sprinkle in the nutritional yeast and nori, stir to combine. Now we add the pre-cooked mushrooms to the soup and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. Do your best to not overcook the potatoes. We don't want them to crumble away and disappear! At the very end of cooking, mix in the lemon juice to taste and add your salt and pepper to taste as well. Smoked sea salt is a nice touch, so if you see some at the store, get it! Don't forget to remove the bay leaf.

Serve piping hot with crackers or in a bread bowl, if you're fancy. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley and/or bac'n bits.

Castle Gourmet Part Two

2011-12-10T15:37:00.001-08:00

I've been keeping busy over the last couple months with all things related to vegan eats. Most of it has been spent baking for my small batch operation, but now I'm focusing on gourmet cuisine. I'm officially part of the Castle Gourmet team as pastry chef, which is exciting and fun. I enjoy being inspired by food and I appreciate working with others who share my love of gourmet cuisine. Chef Anne Lee is a pleasure to work with and I look forward to creating amazing, memorable meals with her in the very near future.

This month's menu is sure to delight our diners. We're going to be whipping up some holiday classics, but will be presenting them in new and different ways. There's also a new website to keep you updated: www.castlegourmetdining.com

Please browse through the archives to see what you've been missing, and don't hesitate to sign up for the mailing list!

Castle Gourmet Pop Up Dining

2011-10-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

I had really hoped to post more this month, but I have been swamped with a number of things. Earlier this month I was guest pastry chef to my friend Anne Lee's awesome vegan gourmet pop up dinner. Here's some more info on that: www.thisisannelee.com Plus the blog with menu details: http://castlegourmet.tumblr.com/

The dinner we prepared was inspired by the weather and had an Indian Summer theme. Think BBQ, burgers, slaw and ice cream, but with hints of the approaching fall season. The first course was a creamy, pumpkin butternut & sage soup garnished with fennel and pomegranate.

Next course was a refined "slaw" of beautiful tri-colored beets, watermelon radish and grilled avocado, served over a bed of watercress with a mustard vinaigrette. The colors were amazing. Just look at the watermelon radish. Nature is awesome.

The main dish was an open-faced chipotle spiced lentil burger on a cornbread "bun" with aioli, pickled red onions and grilled pineapple. Served alongside, seared kale and breaded and fried okra with a spicy BBQ marinara sauce. The okra was outstanding. Couldn't stop snacking on those guys. Wish I had a picture of this dish, but I was so caught up with cooking, and of course preparing and plating the desserts. I will update this post in the future when I get copies of the photos taken by the other photographer.

On to dessert. This was a really fun dish. No summer is complete without ice cream. We decided on an ice cream truck indulgence you can't find vegan any where -- THE CHOCO TACO. When's the last time you had one of those? Probably long, long ago after a shitty "burrito" made with powdered beans at a fast food joint that shall remain anonymous. Well behold, friends! This Choco Taco is better than the original.

This bad boy was made up of a crunchy chocolate coated almond tuile cookie, filled with coconut vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate ganache, topped with toasted crushed almonds and a little raspberry coulis. I didn't get good shots of the plates we served at the dinner, so this version was reshot and reconstructed with what I had on hand, strawberries. Pretend that coulis is strawberry and not raspberry. Just know that my boyfriend was eagerly waiting behind me as I shot these photos. After the shoot, he tore into this plate.

This was an exciting experience and I look forward to next month's Castle Gourmet dinner. If you're interested, sign up! Seats are currently limited to 12 and will fill up fast!

Tempeh Buffalo Tenders

2011-10-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

This should have been posted a week ago, but again more technical difficulties. My backup, not to mention NEW, compact flash card is crapping out on me. I've lost more photos than I'd like to think about, and time! It's really testing my patience, so I've ordered yet another flash card.

Let's talk about something fun and tasty. Buffalo wings! These are better for you and don't have any bones! Yay! These bad boys were served up as an appetizer for the Soul Food pop up dinner I had a couple weeks ago. They were so popular, I've made them three times since then, but only recently had a chance to photograph them properly. They are hard to photograph because they just kept disappearing! I don't know how!

Tempeh Buffalo Tenders

Preparing the tempeh

3-4 8oz packages of soy tempeh

Before doing anything with tempeh, I like to braise or simmer it in some kind of flavorful broth. Doing so makes the tempeh more tender and flaky, and also cuts out some of the funky flavor some might find off putting. I add a few spoons of No-Chicken Broth Powder mixed with 1-2 cups of water and a pinch of dried thyme into a medium pot and drop in the tempeh. Simmer tempeh for 10-15 minutes, remove from broth and set aside to cool.

When tempeh is cool enough to handle, slice into 1/2 inch thick strips or slightly thicker, if you desire. Set aside and get the batter started.

The Batter

5 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened, non-dairy milk (I used soy)
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Double check for veganocity. I used Kikkoman brand.)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
a few grinds of pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

Method

Set up your deep fryer or deep frying apparatus and get the temperature between 350 - 375 degrees F.

Bust out three shallow pans or plastic tupperware-like containers. Create your assembly line! Fill one with the non-dairy milk, another with panko crumbs, and the third with your flour and spices. Stir the flour and spice mixture and combine all the ingredients well. Take a piece of tempeh and lightly coat with your flour mixture. Shake off any excess, then dip into the soymilk and coat evenly. Finally coat the wet tempeh with panko crumbs. Set your coated and ready to fry tempeh on a plate and continue coating the rest of your tempeh. Try using only one hand while you work. It helps to have one clean hand free. You will definitely end up with a panko crumb glove.

If you're feeling agile, gently drop in 3-4 pieces of coated tempeh into your deep fryer while you're working your coating assembly line. Just watch your tempeh. You want it golden brown and delicious, not burnt! Tempeh will fry up fast! It will probably be ready in 2 minutes or so, depending on your fryer temperature. Continue working in batches and place hot fried tempeh on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath. This method of cooling keeps things crunchy and crisp.

Coat tenders with buffalo sauce and serve with a side of vegan ranch dressing (recipes follow!)

Buffalo Sauce

1/4 cup melted Earth Balance or vegan margarine
5 or more tablespoons of Lousiana Hot Sauce (or your favorite hot wing style hot sauce)

Method

Whisk ingredients well and drizzle over tempeh tenders just before serving. Recipe can be doubled with ease if you're making a particularly large batch.

Vegan Ranch Dressing

1 cup Follow Your Heart Vegenaise
2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
up to 1/4 cup unsweetened soy or non-dairy milk
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
few grinds of pepper
salt to taste (if desired)

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add soymilk to desired consistency. Taste and check for salt and acidity. Adjust lemon to taste. Serve chilled with fresh crudite and tempeh tenders.

Sushi Night

2011-10-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

If you live in the Los Angeles area, you probably are familiar with Shojin Vegan Japanese in Little Tokyo. They serve some of the most appetizing, beautiful, artful and delicious food I've ever tasted. My boyfriend and I like to eat there pretty often, but have to take it easy sometimes. On average we will spend about $70 for dinner. We don't mess around when it comes to Shojin. Rolls, appetizers, dessert, drinks, you name it! Sometimes we need to feed the craving with homemade rolls. This here is my favorite homemade roll to date.

It's filled with asparagus, sauteed Eryngii mushrooms and avocados. FREAKIN' AWESOME.

Inspired by some of the best food in town. Thanks Shojin!

But wait, there's more!

2011-10-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

Here's the only proof of the vegan soul food pop up dinner.

Everything else was consumed. I did manage to save one of the apple brown betties. I was so full of mac n cheez, I never got around to dessert.

So there. It happened.

Hammin' it up!

2011-10-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

I encountered a few delays while attempting to make this post. First, my compact flash card for my DSLR took a dump on me. I made the most awesome sandwich, took photos & everything, only to have the memory card fail me. Needless to say, I ate the sandwich and said "fuck it!" I figured I'd have to recreate that sandwich and start all over again. Not complaining about that.

Then I got all busy planning a vegan pop up dinner. That went over well, I did a soul food dinner with tempeh hot wings, mac n cheez, black eyed peas with ham, braised garlicky kale, fresh baked corn bread, and oatmeal apple betty with homemade vanilla bean coconut ice cream. Whew! but of course no pictures, so I guess it didn't happen. :( Womp womp! Now I'm all stuffy with a head cold.

Shaddup, Denise.

Let's get on with it. Vegan ham. Pretty versatile stuff. Good grilled or stewed up with black eyed peas and kale. I've mostly used it for breakfast-y stuff like this here tofu benedict.

The benny is comprised of grilled french bread, vegan ham, seasoned slices of tofu, tomato and kale, then topped with warm vegan hollendaise. I'd give you a recipe for the hollendaise, but then I'd have to kill you. Don't worry, it's mostly silken tofu, FYH's Vegenaise, nooch & spices. You'll figure it out eventually!

Another fun breakfast item I've had the chance to recreate is my ex-favorite sammy from Denny's. Yeah, it's really shitty chain dining, but back in the day it filled the void after a late night of drinking. That was a long time ago, and I hope I never have to eat there again. Even if they serve Amy's vegan burgers. Here's vegan Moons Over My Hammy. I think I like it mostly for the name.

This is basically tofu eggs with vegan ham and vegan cheese. I used a nice, seeded multi-grain bread and grilled it with a little Earth Balance. Then I sliced up some firm tofu and coated it in nooch with a little garlic & onion powder, black salt & pepper, then fried it on a hot griddle. I also grilled up the ham and then layered it all on the bread with Daiya pepperjack cheese. Any kind of vegan cheese will do. I believe the real thing has Swiss & American cheese, but we don't want any of that.

All right now, go make this for yourself!

Vegan Ham

2 1/4 cups Vital Wheat Gluten

1/2 package Mori-Nu Firm Silken Tofu

1/2 15 oz can Canellini Beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup water

1 "No Beef" bouillon cube (or equivalent no beef powder)

2 tablespoons vegan brown sugar

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon hickory smoke/liquid smoke

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon paprika

several grinds of black pepper

splash of tamari or soy sauce

tamari for basting

Method

Set oven to preheat at 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, puree silken tofu, beans, bouillon, brown sugar, oil, tomato paste, tamari, liquid smoke, water and nutritional yeast. Mix until smooth. In a large bowl mix vital wheat gluten with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika, and pepper. Add wet mix into the dry mix and combine until a dough is formed. Dough should be moist, easy to handle, but not too wet. If necessary, add a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten until dough feels right. Knead dough for several minutes then allow to rest for 10 minutes. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, let that thing do the work. Once dough has rested, form into loaf-ish shape and wrap tightly in foil "tootsie roll" style. Put your foil wrapped dough into a loaf pan filled half way with water. Place into oven and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Check after an hour to see if you need to add any more water. After 1 hour and 45 minutes has passed, remove from foil, place into water and add a splash of tamari to the water. Baste the ham with liquid and bake for another 15-20 minutes until outside is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool a little before slicing.

Tips:

This stuff makes awesome Lunchables! Remember those super salty, highly processed & nitrate-filled meat, cheese and cracker snacks? Try a thin slice of this ham on multi-grain flax crackers with a slice of vegan cheese or fresh, spreadable cashew cheese. HEAVEN ON A CRACKER!

Late Bird MoFo aka Lazy Mofo

2011-10-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

And by lazy MoFo, I mean lazy mother-- shut your mouth! No recipe this time around, because I can't give away all the goods! I will, however, exercise your salivary glands with some exciting food porn! Ready?! Wait! Let's add another exclamation mark first! .... !

Breakfast. Most important meal of the day. The meal I often neglect and skip over entirely most days. When I have time, this happens. Breakfast nachos. Greatest thing ever invented. Tortillas make everything at least 40% more awesome. Fried tortillas, even better. If I had a restaurant, I'd put this on the menu.

Soul food night happens pretty often around here. Mac 'n cashew cheese is a staple of this household.

Most of my time has been spent baking. Above are some fun peanut butter & jelly cupcakes. Peanut butter cake, filled with strawberry or grape jelly, topped with whipped peanut butter frosting & drizzled with jelly. If you didn't know, I run a small batch vegan baking operation out here in Los Angeles. Check it out: www.twicebakedvegan.com

This is what I like to call the breakfast cupcake. Maple cupcake with creamy maple frosting and topped with candied coconut bacon. These were a special order for a dear friend's birthday. He's a big fan of meat and meat products, so this was my way of showing him how awesome animal-free food can be. Candied coconut bacon melts all hearts. Needless to say, they were the talk of the party.

I also made some special birthday cuppies for my boyfriend. Caramel-filled chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy, rich chocolate ganache, salty pretzels and then drizzled with more caramel. Pretty insane.

And for good measure, here are some mocha chocolate chip cookies. All the perk of coffee in a convenient cookie! Woo!

More to come! Also, if you're in the area, I'll be vending all sorts of baked goods at the Vegan Halloween Event in Eagle Rock later this month. More info here.

Autumn Maple Beer Pancakes

2011-09-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

I love getting stuff in the mail. With the exception of bills (blech, who needs 'em?!) I'm like a kid when packages arrive. In fact, I'm probably driving my neighbor crazy with all the Amazon orders that get sent to his place instead of mine. Needless to say, I was STOKED to get a couple bottles of Autumn Maple Beer from The Bruery in the mail. Recently, my friend Veronica suggested I participate in The Bruery's Facebook Blogger Invitational. Participants were given the opportunity to concoct recipes using one of their newest seasonal brews, Autumn Maple. If you live in Southern California, you are probably familiar with this small craft brewery located in Orange County. They produce Belgian style ales, many of which are totally vegan, that are inventive as they are delicious. The Autumn Maple is no exception. The Bruery challenges tradition, using yams instead of pumpkin. It's a new spin on an old classic. The end result is rich, slightly sweet, bold and spicy. It is truly Autumn in a bottle.

This recipe accomplishes a couple things. One, it fuses all those familiar fall flavors (say that five times fast!) with traditional maple-y breakfast stuffs. What you get is fluffiness, spice and Autumn Maple's rich maltiness. Two, it's a hell of a way to treat a hangover! Hair of the dog, anyone?

Autumn Maple Beer Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote

Spiced Apple Compote

1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup vegan sugar (turbinado sugar, evaporated cane juice or any organic sugar)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 vanilla bean pod, split down middle or 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum or brandy (optional, but awesome)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
4-5 apples (gala, golden delicious, fuji or honey crisp) peeled, cored and cubed
pinch of salt

Method

In a large sauce pan, over medium-high heat, combine water, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla (entire pod), rum or brandy, salt and spices, and bring to a boil. Gently boil until all sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the apples to the mixture and bring back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and remove vanilla pods. If any seeds remain in the pods, scrape seeds and add to the apple mixture. Mixture will thicken as it cools. Serve warm over pancakes. It also makes a delicious topping for desserts and ice cream.

Autumn Maple Beer Pancakes

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (preferably soy)
1/2 cup water
1 cup Bruery Autumn Maple Beer, chilled
2 tablespoons oil (vegetable or canola)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons molasses
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Oil spray, vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance) or oil for cooking

Method

Set your griddle pan over medium-high heat while you get your batter prepared. In a medium bowl, combine non-dairy milk with apple cider vinegar and set aside to curdle for a few minutes. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, sea salt and spices, and mix well. Add the remaining wet ingredients (water, vanilla, oil, molasses, maple syrup and beer) to the non-dairy milk and vinegar mixture. Stir to combine. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and gently whisk ingredients together to form a batter. Do not over mix. A few turns of the wire whisk will suffice. Some small lumps will remain, just be sure there are no dry spots. If you find the mixture is too thick for your liking it can be thinned with a tablespoon of water or non-dairy milk.

Your griddle pan should be nice and hot now. Lightly grease the pan with your margarine, spray or oil. Using a pour spout container or ladle, carefully pour some batter on your griddle pan. Spread it around into a circle with the back of a spoon or bottom of a ladle to the desired diameter. After a few minutes the top, uncooked side will begin to set, creating little bubbles around the edges. Using a spatula, you can carefully lift up the edge and peek for doneness, if you wish. If the batter feels pretty set, you can give them a flip. If the pancake isn't golden brown enough, turn the heat up a little more. If it is too brown, turn your heat down a little. When done, remove from pan and stack on a plate. Pancakes can be kept warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Re-grease your griddle and continue with the rest of the batter until it is all gone. Serve with warm apple compote and/or real maple syrup and vegan butter, such as Earth Balance.

Recipe yields 4-6 pancakes

Magic Sprinkles

2011-09-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been putting this stuff on top of everything. It's tasty on just about every kind of pasta dish, including mac 'n' cheez. It makes pizza more magical, which is hard to do since pizza is the perfect food. It's salty and savory like parmesan, and the spices bring those familiar Italian flavors to mind. The best part is it's super-easy to make, and it keeps nicely in a shaker alongside all your favorite condiments.

Vegan Parmesan Nut Cheese

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning (or small pinches of dry basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme & marjoram)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of paprika
several grinds of fresh pepper

Method

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until crumbly and fine. Sprinkle on everything in sight.

I baked some on top of this shells 'n' cashew cheez dish, then sprinkled more for good measure. It was delicious. These sprinkles would probably taste badass on kale chips too.

Dr. Jack Shephard's Pie

2011-07-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

I know the series "Lost" is long gone now. Probably forgotten by most. I was bitter about how it all ended and how much of my time was invested in that show. Bitterness turned to hunger, so here we are. A shepherd's pie good enough for Jack. And if not, his whiny ass can starve. Fine, go eat a can of Dharma Initiative refried beans, Jack!

Dr. Jack Shephard's Pie

Filling

4-5 pks Tempeh (boiled for 10-15 minutes), crumbled
2 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup frozen peas
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Earth Balance (or your favorite vegan margarine)
3 tablespoons unbleached, all purpose flour
2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (optional)
2-3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegan worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 3-4 sprigs worth of fresh thyme)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram (1 sprig worth of fresh marjoram)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (2 teaspoons of fresh oregano leaves)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary needles)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon poultry spice
Up to 2 cups of veggie broth (or mix a few tablespoons of faux chicken broth powder with water)
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Mashed Potato Topping

6-8 medium potatoes (I like yukon gold, red or russet)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance
1/2 cup cashew cream or unsweetened plain soymilk
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

Prepare your taytoes (skin on or skin off, whatever floats your boat) and set them in a large pot filled with cold water and a large pinch of sea salt. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Avoid over cooking. You don't want water logged taters. At this point, I throw in my blocks of tempeh and cook them in the same water with the potatoes. Now that's what I call efficient!

While the potatoes are cooking, dice your other stuff up.

In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil and drop in your onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes) avoid browning them. Add a little salt to sweat them out. When the onions are cooked, drop in your mushrooms and cook those down a little. Drop in the celery, carrots, dried herbs and spices. Continue cooking for another 4 minutes. We really want to get the mushrooms to cook down as much as possible. They will be adding a lot of the meaty flavor to this shiz. Once things are looking good, add some Earth Balance, let it melt, then drop in your crumbled up tempeh. Add your flour and coat things evenly with the flour. We are going to spend a lot of time here getting some brownness in. Basically we want to make a roux so we can get a good gravy. Continue stirring things around, browning your tempeh and the flour coating. This takes a good 8-10 minutes. Once all the tempeh is golden brown and delicious, you will pour in some stock or water, worcestershire and tamari/soy sauce. Get things to a simmer, you'll see it thicken up. If it gets too thick for your liking, add more liquid. Conversely, if stuff is not thick enough, continue to simmer until some liquid evaporates. If you're using fresh herbs, now is a good time to toss those in. Keep stirring. Oh and hey, be sure to check your potatoes. You should probably turn the oven on too. 375 degrees!

Once taters are cooked, turn off heat, drain and put back into stock pot. Put the stock pot on the lowest heat, drop in the Earth Balance, add the potatoes and mash with a masher. Don't over work them or they'll get gummy. We want fluffy! Stir in cashew cream or soymilk, season with nutritional yeast, onion, garlic, pepper and taste for sale. Don't fuss with them too much. Just get them to the right consistency and thickness and leave em on low heat. Go check on your gravy.

Stir in the frozen peas into your gravy. The gravy should be all nice and brown. If you want more brown, you could add browning sauce, but I'm weirded out by that stuff. Sodium Benzoate doesn't belong in my food. Pour this hot mess into a large rectangular casserole dish (Pyrex types are wonderful). Top with your taters. You could also top the potatoes with grated vegan cheese. Place in preheated 375 degree oven. Bake for 25-30 mins until bubbly, browned and lightly crisped on edges. Serve hot, garnish with fresh thyme sprig or fresh minced parsley.

Done! Eat up!

Just call me the vegan tamalera...

2011-06-14T21:36:00.000-07:00

Holy f**k! Has it really been five months since I've posted a decent update? I suck. Only at the internets, though. I'm pretty good at most things, actually. I'm not even gonna put anything clever here or fill this box with meaningless words. You guys want the action. I'm gonna give it to you.

Vegan Chile Verde Jackfruit Tamales

You will need lots of corn husks. Get a good sized bag from your local grocery store or neighborhood Latin market. You probably won't use 'em all, but you'll definitely want a stash of husks for emergency purposes. Also get a bag of masa harina meal while you're there. There are several brands, I got Maseca.

Get about three dozen or so husks and soak 'em in room temperature water, preferably overnight, but you can get away with 2-3 hours. Once the husks are softened, rinse them well, then shake off any excess water, lightly pat dry and set them aside.

The Filling

Chile Verde Sauce

5-6 medium tomatillos, husked
1 medium onion
large handful cilantro
up to 3 serrano chiles (to your desired piquancy)
1 jalapeno chile (optional)
4 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
salt and pepper to taste
water for simmering

Method

On a hot skillet or griddle over medium high heat, dry roast the tomatillos and chiles until charred and blistered on most sides. Remove from heat and place in a pot with half the onion and 2 garlic cloves, cover with water and simmer for 20 minutes until softened. Remove from water and place in a blender with the rest of the ingredients, except bay leaf and blend until smooth and frothy. Don't forget to hold down the lid with a towel. Taste for salt, add a few grinds of pepper. Add a little of the cooking water until the mixture is saucy. If it's too thin, don't worry. Add the bay leaf, set sauce aside and begin prepping your jackfruit.

The Jackfruit

2 20oz cans of Jackfruit in brine or water (not the sweet kind!), drained
2 tablespoons oil
dash of tamari or soy sauce

Method

Add oil to a hot pan over medium high heat. Drop in the jackfruit and break it up a bit with your spatula. Allow to brown as much as possible. Scrape up any brown bits that are stuck to the pan, there's flavor in them darn bits! Once lightly browned, add a touch of tamari/soy sauce (for color) and then dump in your chile sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and then simmer for the next 1 1/2 hours. The longer the better. Be sure to break up the pieces as the jackfruit softens and stir occasionally. The sauce will reduce quite a bit. If you want it particularly saucy, add more of the leftover cooking water used above, then cover with a lid. Taste for salt and check for seasoning. You can always add a dash of cayenne or a little more garlic or onion (minced) if you like. Allow mixture to cool before assembling your tamales.

Basic Savory Masa

About 4 cups Masa Harina

4 cups veggie or faux chicken broth, warm
1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Mexican paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
dash or more of cayenne or chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

Method

In a medium bowl beat shortening until fluffy and smooth, about 1 minute depending on temperature. In a large, deep bowl mix together masa harina, salt and baking powder. Pour in the warm broth a little at a time and mix well with hands or rubber spatula. Carefully mix in the shortening with your hands or electric mixer. Continue mixing/beating until dough is light and spongey. You want the dough to hold together nicely, like really soft cookie dough. If it's too wet, sprinkle in a little more masa harina. If the opposite is true, add a touch more broth.

Assembly

Get your steaming apparatus ready.

Place the husk with the narrow side facing away from you and spread a thin layer almost down to the edge closest to you. The wider you spread the masa, the more the dough will wrap around your filling. Also the thicker you spread your dough, the longer it will take to steam/cook.

Add a heaping tablespoon or so of the filling, then fold the sides, one side covering the other side.

Finally flip the narrow side down (or up depending on how you hold it) to secure your folds.

Set aside and continue assembling until you run out of dough. Dough makes approximately three dozen. Any leftover filling is badass over nachos, wrapped in warm corn or flour tortillas and with all your favorite Mexican toppings. Trust me.

Place tamales in your hot and ready steaming apparatus upright with the folds tucked under and secure, making sure to leave little gaps between each tamal for the steam to do its thing. Steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Be sure to replenish your steamer with more hot water every 30 minutes.

Tamales are ready when the dough is slightly firm to the touch and easy to peel away from the husk. If some are done before others, you can remove them or rotate them around.

This is a labor intensive process, often taking a whole day to prepare, but the end result is astounding! Tamales make great gifts (they are already wrapped!), freeze well and are even portable!

Tips

You can easily swap out the ingredients and make these sweet tamales. My mother used to make pineapple tamales every year for Christmas. Just swap out veggie broth for fruit juice, add organic sugar, maple syrup or agave, toss in some crushed pineapples, cinnamon and raisins or even strawberries. Yum!

Using the savory masa recipe, you can switch up the fillings to suit your tastes. Don't like chile verde? Add a strip of fresh jalapeno and a little shredded vegan cheese for queso y rajas tamales (shown below, far right).

Or try soyrizo and potatoes, or seasoned Gardein chicken with black beans (below).

Never ending possibilities here, guys.

Enjoy!

New shiz!

2011-02-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

It's been a hot minute, but I'm working on some more vegan Mexican (authentic! made by real Mexicans! None of that Mexican fusion stuff) recipes that I'll be posting soon. Also, I have a new camera which means higher quality pics for you guys (*crickets*).

For now I'll just post some food porn to get you guys nice and greased up for future posts.

Vegan Soul Food

Vegan Lasagna with portobello and white button mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes and herbed tofu-ricotta. Topped with soy mozzarella

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Vegan Ice Cream Party!

2011-01-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

Call me crazy, but even on the coldest nights out here in Los Angeles (40s = cold as f**k to me) I crave ice cream. Perhaps it's a deep, subconscious yearning for snow... which somehow manifests into cool, creamy confections scooped into a bowl. Or because... uh, it just tastes good.

I know making your own ice cream seems like a daunting task. Yeah, it takes some time and patience, however making your own is best. I don't know about you, but ice cream doesn't need mono and diglycerides or red #40 (Now found to be a cause of ADHD, tantrums & hyperactivity in children. Hmmm. Really brings new meaning to the saying "we all scream for ice cream") red #3 and blue #1 to be delicious. Ice cream should be fun, not a hazard to your health!

Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream

1 13.9 oz can coconut cream
13.9 oz soymilk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup vegan sugar
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
As much broken or crumbled Oreo cookies (or your fav vegan sandwich cookie) as you like
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt (or less if your peanut butter is already salted)

Method

In a food processor combine peanut butter, coconut cream (reserve can to measure out the soymilk) and arrowroot. Blend until completely smooth. If your processor is small, work in batches. Transfer mixture to a medium sized pot, whisk in the soymilk, add the salt and cook over low heat, while constantly stirring. Once the mixture begins to slightly thicken, turn the heat off and stir in the vanilla extract. Set mixture aside and allow to cool completely. Freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions, add the broken Oreo pieces near the end of the mixing process.

And now we wait.

Ready? Enjoy!

Tips:

I like to chill the ice cream slurry before I place it into my ice cream maker. Let it cool on the counter for a while, then stick it in the fridge or freeze until it's nice and cold. If your machine is radder than mine (It probably is. I got mine at a thrift store for $6.) and doesn't require the extra step, feel free to ignore me. I enjoy the sound of my... typing?

For extra creamy ice cream, strain the hot mixture through a fine mesh strainer in case you missed any arrowroot lumps.

Sub out the cookies and add stuff like broken pieces of Chick-O-Stick or vegan candy bars. That picture below is the Chick-O-Stick ice cream I made with the same peanut butter base.

Or make a badass vegan ice cream cake like I did for my friend's birthday.

photo taken by Douglas Ferling

Creamy Mushroom Soup

2010-12-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

When I was a little kid I loved Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. I could eat that stuff every day. This soup is a throw back to those times, but totally kicks Campbell's ass! He wishes he could can this much flavor! This is seriously the best cream of mushroom soup I've ever had. It's so savory and unbelievably creamy, you won't believe it's non-dairy and totally vegan.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

3-4 cups of mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped (I used mostly criminis and some shiitakes)
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups cashew cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Earth Balance or vegan margarine
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
sea salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

Method

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the margarine and stir until melted, making sure not to let it burn. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Drop in the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 6 more minutes. Add the vegetable broth, thyme and bay leaf. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 25 minutes. Add the cashew cream and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the bay leaf and any mushrooms you would like to keep whole. I know this sounds tedious, but this is coming from the girl that once cooked a pot of chickpeas (for hummus) and popped the skin off of every single chickpea. It was the creamiest hummus I've ever had. I digress. If you want some mushroom chunks, pick out about a half cup or so and set them aside. Working in batches, ladle soup into your blender and blend for a few minutes until smooth. Remember to cover the lid with a towel and hold down tightly. You don't need to paint your walls with soup. Pour the soup back into your stockpot along with any mushrooms you've picked out and keep warm until ready to serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme or fresh, chopped parsley.

Makes about 6 servings.

All Vegan Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-05T21:41:00.000-08:00

If any of you follow my twitter stream (*crickets*) ... you probably read about my Thanksgiving. This year was the first all vegan Thanksgiving I've ever prepared. Usually I'm stuck making the turkey for my family, while I roast up the tofurky for myself and my boyfriend. Yeah, it's kinda gross handling meat, but I guess I'm used to it. I've been doing all the cooking for Thanksgiving for nearly 15 years now. While I stopped eating meat years ago, I still indulge my family because they swear I make the best turkey ever. I don't think that's a skill I'm proud to have, but it is what it is. As I was saying, because the whole family wasn't going to be having dinner this year I made the executive decision to make everything plant based. My mom was totally for it, but I think my dad secretly wanted me to make the bird. Too bad, DAD! Vegan or nothing! Needless to say the food ruled. The menu consisted of a homemade seitan roast shaped like a turkey, complete with drumsticks and stuffed with herbed (from scratch) cornbread stuffing; mashed potatoes with mushroom leek gravy, sweet baked yams, asparagus with mixed mushrooms, zucchini and carrot medley, buttermilk biscuits, lemon cheesecake and 2 pumpkin pies. It was a lot of work, but thankfully it only happens once a year.

Here are some pics of the offerings:

The platter! Clockwise from bottom- mashed taters with gravy, baked yams, seitan roast covered in gravy, stuffin', asparagus with mushrooms, carrot zucchini mix, more stuffing and a biscuit.Quite the feast.

Baked sweet yams. Made with organic sugar, molasses, vanilla bean and freshly ground spices

Fresh out the oven, "buttermilk" biscuits. Moist and fluffy.

Another angle of the platter of delights. "Drumstick" action on the left there.

All in all I'd say this was a very successful dinner. My picky nephews went in for seconds and everyone raved about the cheesecake. Even my cat approved. Success? I believe so.

Tortilla Soup

2010-12-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

Few things are more comforting than a bowl of soup on a chilly day. I'm a California native, so when the temps drop down to the late 50s (wuss, I know) you better believe I'm breaking out the stockpot and whipping up something hot. Soups offer soothing warmth, can be really affordable (cheap even!) and there's minimal clean up afterward. Hell, you might even clean out your fridge. It's a win-win situation. If I had to eat through a feed tube for the rest of my days I would drink nothing but this soup. It's like drinking down a cheesy, chicken tamale.

"Chicken" Tortilla Soup

5 cups faux chicken stock
1 cup cashew cream (recipe follows)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
6-8 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
2-3 Gardein brand "chicken" breasts or 1 pk of Trader Joes' Chicken-less Chicken Strips, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons Earth Balance or your favorite vegan margarine
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2-3 teaspoons fresh ground cumin
2-3 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon fresh ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cayenne or chipotle powder (use more or less to your liking)
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
Other garnishes can be sliced avocado or guacamole, fresh fried tortilla strips, fresh corn kernels or pico de gallo

Method

Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the margarine and stir until melted, making sure not to let it burn. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the can of tomatoes with its juice, bay leaf, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, onion powder and granulated garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes then add the "chicken" stock and fresh cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add in the Gardein "chicken" and tortilla pieces and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the cashew cream. Continue to simmer another 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender (cover lid with towel and hold down tight! Hot liquid can get pretty explosive.) and blend on high for a few minutes until soup is smooth. Pour back into stockpot and keep warm until ready to serve. Ladle into bowls and serve with the above mentioned garnishes.

Serves 4-6

Cashew Cream (from Tal Ronnen's The Conscious Cook)

2 cups raw cashews
Cold water

Method

Rinse cashews thoroughly, cover with cold water and place in a container with lid in the refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days. Make sure to drain and add fresh water if keeping for longer than 1 day.

Drain cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until completely smooth. Use within 5 days. Makes a great substitute for recipes that call for heavy cream.

Tips:

If you're using small taqueria-style tortillas, use 8 in the recipe. If you find your soup too thick, just thin out with a little more faux chicken stock. Adjust the spices to your liking and taste for salt.

Frozen Gardein scallopini or breasts can be thrown in frozen. Just cook whole until warmed, remove and chop, then place back into the soup. Done and done!

No Gardein in your town? No worries, this soup is still rad as ever minus the mock meats. It would probably rule with seitan too.

It's Peanut Butter Cookie Time!

2010-11-18T19:51:00.000-08:00

The first time I made vegan peanut butter cookies they tasted a lot like Mazapan candies. You know, those awesome, melt-in-your-mouth Mexican peanut butter candies with the rose logo.

The cookies ruled, but I was really hoping for chewy and soft, not crumbly. After a little experimentation I came up with this. It may be the best peanut butter cookie ever.

Soft and Chewy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup vegan sugar (or brown sugar if omitting the molasses)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Earth Balance (or your favorite vegan margarine)
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 Ener-G "eggs"
1 Tablespoon soymilk
2 teaspoons agave
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons molasses
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
vegan sugar for sprinkling

Method

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl cream together sugar, oil and vegan margarine until smooth. Add the agave, molasses, vanilla extract and peanut butter and mix thoroughly. In a small bowl prepare your "eggs" according to the package. 1 "egg" is 1 1/2 teaspoons of Ener-G Egg powder mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. Add the eggs to the wet mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and sea salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently mix until a dough forms. Dough should be pliable, not too wet or too dry. Add a spoonful of soymilk if it's too dry or a little more flour if it's too wet.

Allow dough to chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking. Once dough has rested, drop by the heaping tablespoon and flatten with a fork, creating a criss-cross pattern with the fork tines. Sprinkle tops with sugar and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes about 2 dozen.

Tips:

These cookies would probably make a really bad ass ice cream sandwich. Try spreading a nice layer of slightly thawed and softened ice cream between two cookies, then wrap in foil and freeze.

Or try this idea @YoSoyLiz suggested veganizing:

http://www.thesweetslife.com/2010/11/peanut-butter-bacon-cookies.html

Real bacon would be gross. I suggest crisping up some soy bacon in the oven and then mixing it into the dough.

Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot Piiiiieeee!

2010-11-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Here's something to tide you over until the next post...

Recipe, you say? A girl has to have some secrets. Actually, the pie crust recipe is the same as the crust I made for my quiche post a few months back. The insides are more or less a secret because my cooking style prevents me from ever measuring things out. The Eye Ball It style or "Yeah, that looks about right" steeze. Natural cook or just lazy? You be the judge. If you know how to make a roux, you're half way there!

(Soy) Shrimp... and White Wine!

2010-10-14T21:16:00.000-07:00

I have a vague memory of eating shrimp scampi pasta about 7 years ago. I think it was at a Red Lobster and I'm pretty sure I got food poisoning right after. It was one of those all you can eat deals and I remember thinking after taking the last bite "I'll never do this again." I wasn't even vegetarian at the time, but that was the last time I ever ate shrimp.

Today's recipe post is nothing like what I was served at Red Lobster. It is awesome. It is somewhat inspired by the whole shrimp scampi idea and gives me an excuse to use obscene amounts of garlic... (and booze!) Prepare to offend everyone in your path for the next 18-24 hours. It's gonna rule!

King Oyster Mushroom Scampi and Pasta

2 large King Oyster (Eryngii) mushrooms, chopped
Enough pasta (spaghetti, angel hair or linguine) for 2 servings
4 tablespoons of vegan margarine
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced (the more the better)
2 teaspoons shallot or onion powder
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (about a large handful)
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Before you begin to prep your mushrooms, get your water pasta water boiling. Wipe off the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel. Cut each mushroom in half, lengthwise. Then chop into half moon pieces and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and 3 tablespoons of margarine in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes. Toss in the garlic and onion/shallot powder and continue to saute everything for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Once the mushrooms and garlic begin to brown up around the edges, turn the heat down a touch and de-glaze the pan with white wine. Scrape up all the delicious brown bits and drop in the last of the margarine. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and allow the wine to bubble up. Continue tossing the mushrooms and garlic around until most of the wine has evaporated.

Add in the lemon juice, cooked pasta and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Tips:

Be lazy like me and use angel hair pasta. It cooks up in 2 minutes and takes the hassle out of trying to time everything perfectly. Just drop the pasta into the boiling water right when you get the wine and mushroom mixture bubbling.

For more lemon-y pucker add a little fresh lemon zest.

Feel free to drink the rest of the wine with your meal.

If you're not a fan of mushrooms, you may still enjoy this meal. King Oyster mushrooms have a fruity, almost floral and delicate flavor reminiscent of abalone or scallops. They are less "earthy" tasting than most mushrooms and work great as a substitute for clams and shellfish. In the future I'll be posting a recipe for "Clam Chowder" using these guys, so look out for that. Enjoy!

V-V-Vegan Boys, V-V-V-Vegan Boys!

Parte Seconda Di Salsiccia Fest

2010-09-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

I'm all about good food on the cheap. Every now and then I might splurge on awesome pre-packaged mock meats (Gardein still baffles my mind on a regular basis) but I take great pleasure in making my own mock meats from scratch. I get a serious buzz from recreating stuff that costs a fraction of what you pay for in store. I love Field Roast Italian sausage, but I don't want to spend $6 on four measly links when I can make twice as many for a buck or so. Frankly, I'd rather avoid getting in the car and driving through the labyrinth of doom a.k.a. Whole Foods parking lot just for those four links. So take that, Field Roast (I still love you)!

These sausages are easy on the wallet and good in the belly.

Italian Seitan Sausage

2 cups vital wheat gluten
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 portobello mushroom cap
3/4 cup vegetable or veggie chicken broth
1/4 cup red wine (optional, sub with more broth)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave (optional)
1tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire (optional)
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 3/4 teaspoons fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dry red chili flake (or more)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (rubbed)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
several grinds of fresh black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Method

Prepare your steaming basket and get your water boiling.

I don't currently own a steaming basket, but my metal colander fits perfectly inside this stock pot. Feel free to improvise if necessary. Get all McGuyver on that shiz. Don't mind that gnarly looking stove. I have roommates. 'Nuff said.

In a large bowl mix all your dry ingredients and spices and set aside. In a food processor, pulse the portobello mushroom cap until it has a crumb-like texture. Don't over process, we don't want a mushroom puree. Add the mushroom bits to the dry mixture and stir to combine. Return to your food processor and add the wet ingredients: cannellini beans, garlic, tomato, wine, vegetable broth, tamari, agave, oil and Worcestershire. Puree until completely smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and get everything mixed thoroughly, using your hands to make a dough. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes while you get your foil ready, by now the water should be to a full boil.

Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces. Take each portion and begin shaping it into a log or link and wrap the link tightly in foil. Don't worry if it's not perfect. Repeat this process for all the portions and place the foiled logs into your steaming apparatus. Steam over medium-high heat for 1 1/2 hours, making sure to replenish water level every 30-40 minutes.

Tips:

Keep a pot of water on simmer alongside your steaming basket. When your basket's water levels are low, you'll have a back up of hot water. This helps to keep things nice and steamy.

Don't get lazy and cut the cooking time in half. Good food takes time.

This sausage freezes and thaws well, so keep some links frozen for long term use. They'll keep in the freezer for months.

Give some to your friends. Who doesn't like the gift of sausage? Exactly.

Festival De La Salchicha!

2010-09-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

I thank the food gods on a regular basis for inventing soyrizo. Not only does it tastes exactly the same as its meaty evil* twin, chorizo, it's so much better for you. And you won't get any of that nasty, oily, red stuff dripping down to your elbow when you eat soyrizo tacos. That is definitely something I do not miss. You know what else I don't miss? Chorizo con papas. That's because I can make that anytime I want thanks to the power of textured vegetable protein. TVP, ahoy!

Vegan Chorizo (Soyrizo)

1 cup TVP granules
1 cup warm water
2-3 dried Guajillo chiles (2 will make this medium spicy)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika (not smoked)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 /2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (add more or less depending on desired heat)
Salt to taste (usually around 2 teaspoons)
a few grinds of fresh pepper
1 bay leaf

Method

Rinse chili pods and de-stem. Remove seeds from chilies if you want a tamer spice, otherwise place chilies on a hot pan over medium-high heat and toast for a couple minutes on each side. Remove chilies from pan and place in a bowl with 1 cup of warm water. Soak chilies for 30 minutes.

After chilies have been softened in water, pour the soaking water and chilies in a blender with all the ingredients except for the TVP and bay leaf. Puree for several minutes until smooth. Taste for salt and adjust to your preferences. Pour this mixture into a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, add the bay leaf, and stir in the TVP granules. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring often. Allow mixture to simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. By now the TVP granules should be plumped up. If granules look a little dry, add in a little water a few tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached. Mixture should be a little saucy, but not soupy. If you have too much liquid, allow the mixture to evaporate a little or drain off some of the liquid.

Soyrizo can be used immediately. Cook as you would any normal pre-packaged soyrizo. Can be stored in refrigerator up to 5 days or frozen for a few months. I suggest storing this in a glass bowl or a Tupperware-like container you don't care for. This mixture will stain and stink up plastic like nothing else, but who cares? It's a small price to pay when making your own soyrizo, which also entitles you to bragging rights when you whip up some seriously rad breakfast burritos for your friends.

"It's the best"

Tips:

Guajillo chilies can be found in your ethnic or Latin aisle at the grocery store and at your local carniceria. You might be grossed out walking into a carniceria, but they often have great herbs and spices on the cheap. Stock up on tortillas while you're at it. Tortillas make everything at least 40% more awesome. It's a fact.

TVP is a little harder to find, but most health food stores have them in packages or in the bulk bin aisle.

*Not to be confused with Medieval. Though eating meat should have been left behind in the Dark Ages.

Just Grab 'Em In The Biscuits!

2010-08-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

I admit that I used to be a huge fan of KFC biscuits. Of course now the idea of eating one of those is quite revolting. Even if they were vegan, I'd hate to support that corporation.

One thing I've learned is that broke-ass-ness is the mother of invention. When you're between paychecks or even if you've been too busy to grocery shop, often times you can create really tasty stuff just with what you have on hand. This week I bring you biscuits. Easily made with ingredients you probably have in your pantry. I suggest you smother them with gravy and love.

Vegan "Buttermilk" Biscuits

2 1/4 cups, unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup extra cold, unsweetened, plain soymilk + 3 tablespoons for brushing
1/3 cup extra cold, vegetable shortening (Crisco or Earth Balance work well)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Method

Mix apple cider vinegar with soymilk and set aside for 5 minutes to curdle. The vinegar creates a tangy "buttermilk flavor" and will help create awesome, fluffy texture in the biscuits.

In a large bowl mix together all your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda and powder. With two forks, a pastry cutter or very quick hands, cut the shortening into the flour, leaving little pieces of fat distributed evenly throughout the flour mixture. The mixture will look crumbly. Now add the curdled soymilk and mix quickly to get a dough to form. Avoid overworking the dough. Once your dough has formed, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

When your dough is thoroughly chilled, roll out dough to 1-2 inch thickness and cut out circles with a biscuit cutter. Place them 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with leftover soymilk for a nice golden hue. You can gather up any leftover scraps of dough and form another biscuit or two from that. If you want something a little more rustic (if you're just lazy, like me) grab a nice portion of dough (about 2-3 inches across and 2 inches thick) and drop 'em on an un-greased baking sheet. I like to bake mine a little on the thick side so the interior reaches maximum fluff potential.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 12-16 minutes depending on thickness and your oven's mood. Biscuits are done when lightly golden brown. Makes 6-8 biscuits.

Tips:

Not that you would have tuna (assuming you are vegetarian) in your cupboard, but you can always recycle an old can into a biscuit cutter by removing both ends.

Try mixing in vegan cheese and herbs for extra flavor. Those beauties above were made with Daiya cheddar and fresh parsley from my garden. Cheddar and chives or green onions are great too.

Start working on your favorite preserves, gravy and sauce recipes. Biscuits were made for them.

私のホバークラフトは鰻でいっぱいです

2010-08-22T00:27:00.000-07:00

Asian cuisine is probably the most challenging to me. There are so many styles and flavor profiles, my head spins. Sweet, salty, sour, oh! It's all so delicious. I'm fortunate to live near Koreatown, which gives me easy access to some awesome Asian markets. I love strolling down each aisle, drooling over the possibilities. Here's one of the easiest treats I've been able to concoct.

Vegan Gyoza

1 package of gyoza or dumpling wrappers (check for veganocity, some like to sneak in eggs!)
1 cup Bok Choy, Napa cabbage or kale, finely chopped
1/2 cup Shiitake, King Oyster or Portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
1/3 cup celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1-2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated (microplanes are great for this)
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic (3-4 cloves)
2-4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil, for frying
dash or more, red pepper flakes
fresh black pepper to taste
2-6 tablespoon water, for steaming

Method

Preparing the filling

Over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil to a hot skillet or wok. Once oil is hot, drop in the carrots and garlic and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the celery and cook for another 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Next toss in the sesame oil, mushrooms, cabbage, ginger, pepper and chili flakes and coat well with oil. Cook this mixture for another 2 minutes, then add in the green onions. Stir in two tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari and taste for saltiness. Add a few more dashes if necessary and allow to evaporate. Again taste while you go and check for balance. If it needs more ginger or soy sauce, adjust to your liking. Once all the veggies are nicely sauteed and soft, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Assembling the dumplings

Take a teaspoon or slightly more depending on the size of your gyoza skins and place the veggie filling in the center of your dumpling. Avoid over-stuffing the wrappers. Moisten the edges with a little water and fold over the wrapper to form a half moon. Pinch or press down the edges and make sure they are well sealed. To make a fancy crimped edge, gather a part of the edge and folding it over on to itself by making a little "S". Repeat this folding pattern 3-4 times on each dumpling. If you need more visual aid check out this guy's video: Warning! These dumplings are not vegan. Skip to 2:00

Cooking the dumplings

In a hot pan over medium-high heat add 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Drop in your dumplings and spread them out evenly across the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned, then flip over and brown the other side. When both sides are lightly browned, add in 2-3 tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Turn the heat down to just medium and allow the water to completely evaporate. Once the water evaporates, check for doneness. Gyoza are done when they are entirely translucent. If there are still some opaque parts, add another tablespoon of water, cover and cook for an additional few minutes. Don't leave them unattended. You are almost done! Flip them over if they are getting too brown on one side and turn down the heat just a touch. Depending on your make of wrappers you may have to repeat the steaming process 2-3 times. Your patience will be rewarded.

Serve these with sesame-chili soy sauce. Just add 3 parts soy sauce, 2 parts rice wine vinegar, 1 part sesame oil and a few dashes of red chili flake.

をお楽しみください!!!

More pizza

2010-08-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

This was easily one of the best pizzas I've ever made. Portobello and white button mushrooms, kale, Teese vegan mozzarella with a creamy roasted garlic and thyme sauce. Ridiculous. One of the great things about this pizza is the bonus of built-in kale chips. Some of the kale bakes into a thin crisp for textural excitement. I give this pizza 5 stars.

"I declare this pizza to be... awesome!"

Saucy!

2010-08-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a shining example of why vegan food is better than animal based foods. Not only is this mixture relatively low fat (no cholesterol, no butter, no cheese) it's super packed with protein thanks to the delicious magic of tofu. Healthy food can taste good! Deprive yourself of creamy goodness no more. This is seriously good, filling grub.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce

1 pk firm tofu, drained
1 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy, almond or cashew are best)
1/3 cup vegan margarine
1/3 cup vegan mozzarella, grated (I like Teese or Daiya)
1-2 tablespoons white wine (optional)
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 cloves fresh garlic
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons garlic powder
small bunch (about a handful) fresh italian flat parsley
a few rasps of fresh nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a food processor combine tofu, garlic cloves and puree until smooth. Slowly pour in the non-dairy milk and continue pureeing until everything is nicely blended and smooth. Add in the fresh parsley and puree until there's a nice amount of green speckles throughout the mix. Pour into a heavy saucepan over low - medium/low heat and add the remaining ingredients. Heat until vegan cheez begins to melt and thicken the sauce. If you use the right kind of tofu and cheez, there's no need for thickeners. If you are having trouble with your sauce, try adding a couple tablespoons of arrowroot powder. Just mix with a little cold non-dairy milk first, then add to the pot and whisk until there are no lumps. Conversely, if you are having issues with thickness, add a few tablespoons of non-dairy milk to thin out your mixture. Taste for salt, adjust according to your preferences and pour over your favorite pasta, mock meats and veggies.

I love Gardein strips, so that's what I put in my creation above. Get creative. Add roasted red bell peppers to the sauce and puree. Artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes are an awesome flavor team too. It's easy. There's nothing stopping you from eating great tasting, cruelty-free food!

Mad Pizza Skillz

2010-07-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Living in Los Angeles is a vegan pizza lover's dream. There are so many places offering vegan pizzas and even one pizzeria that has gone totally vegan. Even with all these options I still find it necessary to make my own pies at home. Why? Besides having "mad pizza skillz" it's way more cost effective. Unfortunately vegan pizzeria's break my bank. It's easy to spend upwards of $30 on one pie. I can eat three to four times as much homemade pizza for that price! Although you may sweat a little (or a lot) making these this summer, they are totally worth the effort. Sure you can buy pre-made dough at Trader Joe's (I used to) but making your own pies from scratch will make you feel extra radtastic in the kitchen.

Basic Pizza Dough

3 cups unbleached, all purpose flour (or 1 cup bread flour + 2 cups all-purpose)
1 cup lukewarm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten (omit if using bread flour combo)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vegan sugar

Method

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and let stand 10 minutes or so, until the mixture begins to froth up. In a large bowl mix flour, vital wheat gluten (if using only A.P. flour) sugar and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil, blend then mix with hands to form the dough. Knead for 7 - 10 minutes. This also doubles as a good arm workout so reap the rewards. If you have a buff significant other or roommate, let them do the dirty work. Also, kneading helps build up the gluten in the dough which makes for a nice chewy crust. So knead some more if you like. Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap or a clean, lightly dampened towel and allow to rest for 1 hour in a well oiled bowl.

While the dough rests get all your toppings prepped. After the dough has rested for an hour remove from the bowl, split into two balls for two medium thin crust pizzas or 1 extra large pizza. Stretch and roll out dough on a pizza stone or lightly oiled metal pan. Cover with your sauce and favorite toppings and bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-35 minutes depending on your oven and preferences.

Tips:

Invest in a pizza stone and peel if possible. You can probably find one under $10 at a discount retail shop (Ross, Big Lots, etc). Sometimes they even come in sets with a pizza cutter and serving tray.

Sometimes I use my favorite jar variety marinara sauce. It's great in a pinch, but tends to be too watery for pizza. Try making your own pizza sauce using tomato paste, a couple tablespoons of water, minced garlic, fresh and/or dried herbs, red pepper flakes, a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper to taste. I love having another reason to use fresh herbs from my garden. Try combining basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary.

To keep your dough from sticking to the stone sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal.

For an extra crispy crust pre-heat your pizza stone, sprinkle with cornmeal, then roll out the dough on the stone and work quickly to get all the sauce and toppings placed.

If you want a slight crispiness with a soft and chewy crust, roll your dough on a room temperature stone.

For extra flavor brush the edges of your pizza crust with olive oil during the last 5 minutes of baking. Sprinkle on a little sesame seed while you're at it.

This dough can be used to make bread sticks or garlic bread twists. Just roll it out into long, skinny logs and twist together. Coat with vegan margarine, minced garlic, salt, nutrition yeast and fresh or dried herbs. Or try stuffing them with vegan cheese for cheesy bread. They are insanely tasty with marinara sauce. I've even made sweets with this dough using vegan margarine, diced apples, cinnamon and sugar. Just roll them up like cinnamon rolls.

Extra dough can be kept refrigerated up to 5 days. If using dough that has been refrigerated, place on counter and allow dough to come to room temperature before attempting to roll out and bake.

Here are some of my favorite pizza topping combinations:

Supreme style:
Daiya Italian blend vegan cheese, Field Roast Italian sausage, roasted garlic, black olives, baby bella mushrooms, green bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion with fresh basil

Garden blend: Daiya Italian blend vegan cheese, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic and spinach

BBQ Chicken: BBQ sauce base, Gardein chicken strips coated in BBQ sauce, red onions, tempeh bacon and Daiya Italian Blend vegan cheese topped with fresh cilantro

Gourmet style: Artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and roasted garlic with a bechamel sauce base.

Margherita: Lots of vegan cheese and fresh tomato slices. When removed from the oven, top with fresh basil. The heat from the pizza will lightly wilt the basil and release the aromatics. It's a classic combo with tons of flavor.

The possibilities are endless and there are tons of awesome mock meats and vegan cheeses (I'm a big fan of Teese and Daiya) on the market. Go crazy! Don't be surprised if you want to start lining your oven with bricks once you've mastered this recipe.

I love chickens. In a different way.

2010-07-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

Being vegan doesn't mean I have to stop eating all the tasty Mexican food I enjoyed while growing up. Sure I can live on rice and beans alone, but I don't have to. Sometimes I like to revisit childhood favorites by giving them a vegan spin. There's nothing more satisfying than recreating something I thought I would never have again. In this dish I've simply switched the chicken for plant based protein and kept the rest all the same. This is a take on my aunt's recipe. Shh. For your eyes only.

Tia Argelia's Chickenless Fajitas

1 package of Gardein (or Trader Joes) Chickenless Chicken Strips
6 corn tortillas or 4 medium flour tortillas
1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 medium green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 medium purple bell pepper, sliced into strips (optional)
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/4 white, yellow or brown onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon oil

The Marinade:

Juice of 1 large orange
Juice of 2 medium limes
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/3 medium onion, sliced or minced
1 handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
few grinds of fresh pepper
salt to taste

Toppings:

Fresh Guacamole
Hot sauce or salsa
Vegan sour cream
Veganaise (My boyfriend's favorite)

Method

Making the marinade

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a glass, non-metallic bowl or zip lock bag. Add in your Gardein strips and coat pieces evenly. Marinate for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. If possible go longer and marinate at least overnight for maximum flavor potential!

Preparation

Over medium-high heat add 1 tablespoon of oil in a hot skillet. Carefully add the chickenless chicken strips and cook until slightly charred and browned, about 7-10 minutes, stirring often. Once you get a nice crispy edge, pour about a 1/3 cup of the marinade on the strips to infuse more flavor and to de-glaze the pan. Keep stirring and scraping the pan. All those charred bits = flavor!

Once most of the liquid has evaporated add in your onions, garlic and bell peppers, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

Taste for salt and add a little if necessary. Cook for another 4-6 minutes or until veggies are slightly charred, tender yet crisp. Try not to cook the veggies to death. Preserve their awesome nutrition!

Serve in piping hot tortillas with your favorite toppings. I like Hector's Fresh Guacamole and tapatio hot sauce. Serves 2-4 (if you're like me, it's more like 2)

Tips:

If you want to take it to the limit try grilling these up on a well-greased BBQ grill.

Heat your tortillas on a hot, dry pan or comal over medium heat.

Use whatever awesome veggies are in season at your local farmer's market. I found cool looking purple bell peppers this Sunday. They taste like mild green bell peppers.

Far left: purple bell peppers

I'm sure this meal will make you shout out con un grito! Ajua!!!!

Orale Carnal! (Vegan Carne Asada)

2010-07-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

Since going pro-veg I've gotten a lot of criticism from meat-eating Latinos who think I am stripping myself of my heritage. I tell them to stick a fork in it! Frankly, I think we need to evolve from outmoded and cruel traditions. I love my heritage and the foods I grew up with, but I can do without the carnage. There's absolutely no reason to continue eating meat when I can find all those familiar flavors and textures in this tasty dish. This vegan carne asada is a dish even my meat eating Dad loves. Here I've swapped out the flesh for plant-based protein, while maintaining the authentic flavors of Mexico.

Carnage-less Asada Tacos

1 package of Gardein (or Trader Joes) Beefless Beef Strips
6 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon oil

The Marinade

Juice of 2-3 medium limes
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/3 medium onion, sliced or minced
1 handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
a few grinds of fresh pepper
salt to taste

Toppings

fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
fresh onions, diced
fresh lime wedges
Tapatio or your favorite hot sauce or salsa
Fresh guacamole (recipe follows)

Method

Making the marinade

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a glass, non-metallic bowl or zip lock bag. Add in your Gardein strips and coat pieces evenly. Marinate for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. I prefer the latter as it seriously infuses the "meat" with kick ass flavor. If you're making this for non-veg friends go for the gold and marinate for at least a day. They will be amazed.

Preparation

In a hot skillet, over medium-high heat add 1 tablespoon of oil and allow to heat. Carefully add the beefless strips (with or without the onions from the marinade) and cook until slightly charred and browned, about 7-10 minutes, stirring often. Once you get a nice crispy edge, you can pour a little of the marinade on the strips to infuse more flavor, just make sure the marinade evaporates or you'll lose the crisp edges.

Once cooked thoroughly, remove from heat and allow to rest for a few minutes. Finally, chop the strips into bite sized pieces and serve in piping hot tortillas with your favorite toppings.

Makes 6 tacos you may want to eat all by yourself.

Hector's Guacamole

3 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
1 medium tomato, diced
4-5 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon (or more) Serrano pepper, finely minced (optional)
3 tablespoons (give or take) fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Dice up all your veggies, minus the avocado and set aside. In a medium bowl add the avocados and mash them with a fork, mix in the veggies and spices, then add in the lime juice a little at a time, tasting as you go. Check for acidity. If it's too lime-y, add some more salt. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the guacamole, this prevents oxidation and that gnarly brownness. My dad always leaves the avocado seeds in as a preventative measure, but I'm not sure that really works. Still, I do it any way because that's the way I've always done it.

Tips

A more authentic method would be to grill the strips on a liberally oiled BBQ grill. Because these are already pre-cooked, the strips are done once they are lightly charred around the edges. A George Foreman type grill works well too.

I'm terrible about measuring stuff since I cook on the fly mostly. My method is "yeah, that tastes about right." So taste things along the way and adjust according to your preferences. If you're not too confident, add things a little at a time until you get it right where you like it. Remember you can always add, but you can't take away.

I like to heat tortillas either on an open gas stove flame (use tongs or quick fingers!) or on a hot, dry pan.

Use real limes and not that weird tasting stuff in the lime shaped bottle. Blech.

This stuff tastes great inside Mexican breads like birrote or bolillo rolls (always check with the bakers for veganocity. Most are usually safe.) and makes for a tasty carne asada torta with refried beans, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes. Or try it inside burrito sized flour tortillas with Mexican rice, beans, vegan cheese, guacamole or sliced avocados, lettuce and tomatoes. Your taste buds won't know what hit 'em!

That corn in the background is cilantro-lime roasted corn. Just wrap up a corn cob in foil with a large pat of vegan margarine, a tablespoon of chopped cilantro, a big squeeze of lime and a little garlic salt and pepper. Roast in the oven or toaster oven (summer friendly) for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees or throw 'em on the BBQ grill.

Now consider yourself an honorary Mexican! Ay!

The Veggie Whisperer

2010-07-12T16:17:00.000-07:00

Since making the switch from store bought produce to farmer's market produce I feel a serious connection to my food. Even more so since I started a container garden in my stairwell. Needless to say I find myself aspiring to become a veggie whisperer. Sometimes the veggies just tell me what they wish to become. Apparently a lot of my veggies like transforming into tofu quiches. That or my boyfriend has been playing a lot of music with subliminal messages demanding a quiche even on the hottest of days. Whatever the case I'm hooked on a feelin'! I've been making these bad boys every which way, but this so far has been my favorite.

Tofu Quiche with Asparagus, Leeks and Eryngii Mushrooms

Crust

2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 C vegetable shortening, chilled and chopped into small pieces
1 ts sea salt
4-8 TB very cold water with ice

Filling

1 1/3 packages of firm tofu, drained
3 TB olive oil + 1 TB for sauteeing
2 large garlic cloves + 1 clove, minced
3 heaping TB nutritional yeast
2 ts onion powder
1 ts turmeric
1 ts black salt
1/2 ts sea salt + a few fresh grinds of pepper
1 TB fresh oregano, chopped or 1/2 ts dried oregano
2-3 sprigs fresh Thyme or 1/2 ts dried thyme
1/2 TB fresh Italian flat parsley or 1/4 ts dried parsley
1/3 C Daiya vegan cheddar (or your favorite shredded vegan cheddar)
3/4 C Eryngii (King Oyster) mushrooms, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 C leeks, thinly sliced
5-6 Asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced, tips reserved for topping

Method

Preparing the crust

In a large bowl combine flour and salt, mix thoroughly. With fingers, forks or a pastry cutter work quickly to cut vegetable shortening into the flour salt mixture. If using hands, pinch shortening into flour. Resulting mixture will have fat chunks the size of a pea. Spoon in chilled water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork after each addition. Use only as much water as you need to gently form the dough into a ball. Handle the dough as little as possible to avoid creaming the lumps of fat into the flour. There should be small balls of fat throughout the dough as this encourages a flaky crust. Overworking the dough will make it tough and dense. Split the dough into two equal amounts. Pat them into balls and wrap them in plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Dough can be made a day ahead.

Rolling out the dough

Remove one ball of dough from the refrigerator and place on a well floured, flat surface. Sprinkle a little flour on the ball and flatten gently with hands. Using a lightly dusted rolling pin, begin rolling at the center of the dough and work outwards. For easier clean up you can roll out the dough between sheets of waxed paper. Working quickly, roll the dough into a circle ¼-inch thick or smaller. Be sure to make dough a few inches larger than your pie pan or dish.

Gently fold the dough in half, and then into quarters and carefully place it into a lightly oiled pie plate so the center of dough is in the center of the pan. Carefully unfold the dough and press into the pan. Trim any excess dough and feel free to pinch the edges to make a fancy edge around the crust. Cover gently with waxed paper and place in refrigerator while you prepare your filling.

Preparing the filling

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor add chunks of the tofu, two garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, onion powder, turmeric, pepper grinds, salt and black salt. Stream in the oil and process until smooth. Remove mixture from processor and pour into bowl using a spatula or scraper to get every last bit. Add in fresh herbs.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add in the asparagus. Cook for 1 minute, remove from hot water and place into a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Remove from ice water, lightly pat dry and set aside.

In a large saute pan heat 1 TB of oil and saute the leeks and the minced garlic clove for about 6 minutes, add the chopped mushrooms and continue cooking until soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove chilled pie crust from refrigerator. With a fork make a few holes in the bottom of the crust. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the crust and add pie weights, dry beans or dry rice to help blind bake the dough. This keeps the dough from getting soggy from the filling and prevents air bubbles from forming. Bake for 10 minutes.

While the crust is blind baking, fold in the Daiya, leeks, mushrooms and asparagus to the tofu mixture and gently mix to combine. Reserve a few asparagus tips as a decorative topping for the quiche. Pour mixture into your pre-baked pie crust, arrange asparagus in an whatever formation you like (I like stars) and bake for 45 or until crust is golden and tofu is firm. Allow 10 minutes to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips:

1.) Left over dough can be used for all kinds of deliciousness like pot pie casserole. Dough is also great for fruit pies. Fill with your favorite fruit or pie fillings, then brush with soymilk and sprinkle with sugar.

2.) Get adventurous. Check out your farmers market and purchase local, seasonal veggies for your quiche. My favorite combos so far: Kale, Leeks and Cheddar (see below); Spinach and Mushrooms; Spinach, Leeks and Zucchini. The possibilities are endless!

3.) Black salt can be found at most Indian spice stores or can be found online. It imparts an egg-y, sulfuric aroma that really fools the mind and ups the egginess to another level. Use it in tofu scrambles or any egg imitation you like. Use with caution -- it is salt after all.

4.) I almost always use Daiya cheddar cheese for my quiches. It makes things seem more egg-y.

Don't be surprised if you end up making this three times a month. It's a labor of love, but you will reap the rewards.

Meditate on this for a while.

2010-07-11T17:31:00.001-07:00

Another cookie experiment gone awesome. Used PPK's Mexican Chocolate cookie recipe, subtracted cinnamon & cayenne, threw in coarsely chopped almonds and Chicago Soydairy Dandies marshmallows. Needless to say, these rule.

Never toss a perfectly rotten banana

2010-07-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

We've all seen it happen, that shopping spree at the farmer's market or grocery store inevitably tossed out with the morning garbage. Wasted food. Wasted cash. Don't throw out your hard earned dollars! Make compost. Then make muffins!

Banana Muffins with Walnuts and Carob Chips

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
5 over-ripened bananas, mashed (totally blackened bananas are perfectly fine)
1 cup vegan sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water ( plus 2-3 tablespoons, if necessary)
1/4 cup non dairy milk
1 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup carob chips or your favorite vegan chocolate chips
1/2 C walnuts, coarsely chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease your muffin tins or use liners.

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl mix the sugar and the oil until thoroughly combined. Add the mashed banana to the sugar and oil mixture and mix. Add in non-dairy milk, 1/4 cup of water and vanilla. Toss walnuts and chips into the flour mixture and coat pieces. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet and mix everything well. A few good scrapes and turns with a spatula should do. Avoid over mixing, you don't want rubbery muffins. Not all bananas are created equal. If mixture seems too thick, add in a little extra water a couple tablespoons at a time and gently mix to combine.

Evenly pour the batter into the muffin tins using an ice cream scooper or large spoon. Fill each cup about 3/4 of the way or slightly higher for a nice, puffy muffin top. Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick or knife in the center of the muffins, if knife comes out clean they are done!

Now the next time you see your friends tossing out their rotten bananas, give 'em the stink eye. Then take their bananas and make these muffins or pour the batter into a loaf pan and make banana bread (bake for an extra 10-15 minutes). You can also mash up a rotting naner into your favorite pancake batter for banana pancakes. I suppose you could invite your produce tossin' friends too.

The way you squeeze my lemon

2010-06-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

I love lemon pastries of all kinds. It surprised me to see no basic lemon cookie recipe online or in my favorite cookbooks. So I had to take matters into my own hands. I knew it had to be done, but I had to do it right. Lemon had to find its soul mate - - the blueberry. But it needed something more. Here was an excuse to use the vanilla sugar that makes me feel extra bad ass in a magical way. And there is something about the zest and zing of lemon followed by a mellow roundness in the vanilla. Throw in blueberries and you can call it a nutritional supplement, right? A fruit bar if you will. I'd like to think so.

Lemon Vanilla Cookies with Blueberries

1 1/2 cups + 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar or vanilla sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup liquid sweetener (agave or maple syrup is best)
3 tablespoons nondairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 medium lemon, zested
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 to 1/3 cup blueberry preserves

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium to large bowl combine all the flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk to get everything incorporated nicely.

In a separate large bowl whisk together oil and sugar until thoroughly mixed. Stir in liquid sweetener, vanilla and lemon extracts, nondairy milk, and lemon zest. Mix these ingredients together, then slowly sift/stir in the dry ingredients. Use your hands to get a dough to form. Avoid overworking the dough.

Next take small portions of the dough and roll into walnut sized balls. You can make them bigger but this size usually yields about 20 cookies. Gently press cookie between your palms and fingers to form little disks. Push a small dimple in the center and add 1/2 teaspoon or so of blueberry preserves.

Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 13 minutes, depending on your oven, or until the edges turn a faint golden brown. For a softer cookie with a chewy edge, bake for about 10-11 minutes. Allow a few minutes for cookies to cool before removing from sheet pan, then transfer to wire cooling rack and allow to completely cool.

Tips:

Don't peek while the cookies are baking. Go find something else to do. Update your Twitter status or something.

If possible, invest in a nice micro-plane grater. They are super awesome and can be used for all kinds of stuff. They zest lemons like nothing else and are usually under $18.

If you can get a hold of real vanilla bean pods, try making your own vanilla sugar. Just split a vanilla bean down the middle and toss everything in a glass jar with some sugar then shake up the jar. The pod will eventually infuse the amazing aroma and flavor of vanilla throughout the sugar. The vanilla pod can stay in the jar for a long time and be recycled to infuse a few batches.
It's one of the quickest way to feeling fancy and gourmet when making desserts. I mean really, how many of your friends are making their own vanilla sugar? Exactly. Indulge them. They will love you for your mad baking skillz.

Thanks to Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World for the inspiration now in cookie form.

Así es como mi papá lo hace

2010-06-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

Much to my delight a lot of the foods I grew up with can be veganized with ease. Chilaquiles are deeply embedded in my soul along with memories of carne asada, machaca and nopales. Those last three will have their time in the spotlight in future posts. For now it's all about my dad's super-easy recipe for some Mexicali comfort food.

Hector's Chilaquiles

6 corn tortillas, sliced into chips or the equivalent in tortilla chips
1 8oz can tomato sauce
up to 1/4 C water
1/4 C onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 ts cumin
1/4 ts paprika
1/4 ts dried oregano or 1 ts fresh oregano, chopped
2 TB oil
salt & pepper to taste
vegan cheese, as much as you like
fresh cilantro, optional

Method

Over medium/high heat in a hot frying pan add oil, garlic and onions and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika and oregano, then add the tortillas or chips and thoroughly mix in with the onions, garlic and spices. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the tortillas begin to lightly brown and crisp. Pour tomato sauce plus a small amount of water over tortillas and toss to coat chips evenly. Everything will be soggy at first, but continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add a little more water if chips seem too dry. Season with salt and pepper. Top with vegan cheese and fresh cilantro, and serve alongside tofu scramble with refried beans. If you want to get buck wild with this, you can use fancy stewed tomatoes with bell peppers, fresh diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers, etc. I like to keep it simple just like Dad.

Scramble on! Sing my song!

2010-06-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

Since becoming vegan the tofu scramble has been a staple in my diet. Not only is it delicious, it's really good for you. Where else can you get a healthy source of protein, a good dose of fresh veggies and loads antioxidants? Not to mention it's practically guilt free. And after nearly two years of veganism, I look forward to making one of these bad boys every morning, sometimes even for dinner. I never tire of the endless possibilities the scramble has bestowed upon my table. I've made these so many times I could probably make one it in my sleep. I suggest serving this for brunch with friends. It's the easiest way to wow your non-veg friends. Remind them it's cholesterol free and good for them. If they're still convinced that tofu is the devil, sing in your best Robert Plant voice "I can't stop this feelin' in my heart!"

The Basic Tofu Scramble:

1 package of drained firm, extra firm or medium firm tofu (It's all up to you)

2 cloves of garlic, minced (Don't wuss out! Garlic loves you and wants you to be healthy)

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1-2 tablespoons of olive or canola oil

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or your favorite mustard)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon black salt

a few grinds of fresh black pepper

salt to taste

Fresh veggies of your choice: mushrooms, bell peppers, kale, spinach, leeks, green onion zucchini, broccoli, etc.

Toppings rule. Try fresh diced tomatoes, olives, vegan cheese, slices of avocado, salsa or hot sauce. Also fresh herbs like cilantro, dill and flat leaf parsley are super great. The possibilities are endless here. My advice is to pick up whatever is fresh and in season from your local farmer's market.

Method

Turn stove on to medium/high heat, add oil to hot pan. Crumble tofu slightly and add to pan. Stirring occasionally, cook for 3-5 minutes and allow tofu liquid to evaporate. You want it moist, but not too watery. Adding veggies will add water to your scramble too. Keep that in mind. I suggest handling those in a separate pan, with the exception of fast cooking greens like spinach, which you would only want to lightly wilt.
With a spatula, break down the tofu into smaller chunks, like scrambled eggs. Add garlic and onions and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Once most of the water evaporates add in the spices except salt and black salt: turmeric, onion powder, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, sea salt, and fresh pepper. Stir to coat all tofu pieces evenly. Lower the temperature down to medium-low and move on to the veggie add ins.
In separate hot pan, add a touch of oil and drop in the veggies. Cook veggies according to how long they take. Leeks or mushrooms you may want to cook first to allow evaporation. Veggies like bell peppers and zucchinis cook up rather fast and can be thrown in during the last couple minutes of cooking. Avoid overcooking the vegetables as you want to preserve as much nutrition as possible. When they're all cooked to perfection, tender but still crisp, remove from heat and mix thoroughly into your tofu mixture. Depending on what veggies you choose, you can skip the second pan all together. If you're adding in veggies that don't release a lot of liquid (like kale, spinach & various leafy greens) you can just saute them up in the pan with your scramble. Experimentation is recommended! Once your veggies are cooked up, add the black salt to your tofu and coat well. Taste and add sea salt if you like.

Serve piping hot with toast, home fries, hash browns or vegan sausage. I especially like mine in a hot tortilla for a rad breakfast burrito.

Tips:

If you've let too much water evaporate from the tofu. You can simply add a few drops of water or unsweetened plain soymilk to moisten things up again. There needs to be enough moisture to help coat the tofu evenly with all the spices.

Below: A lovely scramble with sauteed mushrooms, zucchini and fresh tomato slices.

Breakfast nacho bowl with scrambled tofu, refried beans, daiya pepper jack cheese, sauteed mushrooms, seared kale and heirloom tomatoes. Proper.