LAST VEGAN MOFO POST! A SOY-FREE VERSION OF MY "SOY AND SEITAN TURKEY"

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A reader wrote to me last week and asked if it was possible to make a soy-free version of my vegan "turkey". So, I thought about it and told her I'd experiment and get back to her. I made a soy-free version, which we had for dinner last night, and it was great!


The "turkey" before roasting

If you are intrigued, you can find the revised recipe, with soy-free options, on my Vegan Holiday Dinners page.


This roast slices beautifully!

Happy Halloween, BTW!

VEGAN MOFO: ENERGY BALLS AND VEGAN DEMO FOR TEENS AT LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL

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I missed the last 2 days! Sorry about that-- I almost fulfilled the challenge! Just didn't have time!


Ms. Hill and two students help me make vegan Energy Balls at a school demo yesterday

My oldest granddaughter, S., who is 16, is the only vegetarian in my family besides me, my husband, and my sister. She decided on this at age 14, and she has stayed the course. Her mom often makes things that they can all eat and then adds meat to the dish after removing S.'s portion. She also buys S. vegetarian products. S. is a busy straight-A student who is also active in drama (particularly improv), but she has also learned to cook veg for herself (she spent some time with me learning a few tricks.) She is not a vegan, but she is very careful not to use gelatin capsules in medicines and nutritional supplements; she seeks out vegetarian-friendly cosmetics, and does not eat anything with cochineal in it-- pretty well-informed!

S. invited me to come and give a short demo during lunchtime for her high school's "Books with Bite" day, and the foods teacher kindly volunteered her classroom for it, AND assisted me! It's always great to have an opportunity to talk to interested teens about vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, especially if they can taste some of the food!



We didn't have alot of time, so I only demonstrated one recipe, but I brought two quick and easy bean dishes that we thought the kids might like-- my 30-Minute Vegan Chile, made with pinto beans, and my Mexican-Influenced Bean Dip (or Refried Bean Stand-in), made with black beans. (Both of these recipes are in my book The Fiber for Life Cookbook. I used Yves Veggie "Ground Round" in the chile, and I added 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil and some smoked hot paprika to the dip this time.)






The students enjoying the chile and bean dip with blue corn chips

The students asked some questions about when and why I became a vegan, and about some of the products I brought to show. Ms. Hill also had some pertinent questions to ask, and so did my granddaughter when there was a lull in the questioning (smart girl!). They perused my books and took extra recipe handouts for friends. They ate up most of the food and took some extra for friends and staff!

Although I had less than an hour, I think it was a great success. Ms. Hill said she wanted to invite me back for the vegetarian portion of her Foods class!

Here is my recipe for Energy Balls:



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S "ENERGY BALLS"

These are yummy and so easy to make! You can multiply the recipe as needed.


1/2 cup oatmeal (or other cereal flakes for cooked cereal)
1/4 cup moist brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter or other nut butter (I used almond butter in the school demo)
4 tsp fine unsweetened grated coconut (or ground nuts or sunflower seeds)
4 tsp chopped dates or raisins, or other dried fruit of choice
4 tsp non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (or carob) powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup
more coconut to roll the balls in

Grind the oatmeal in a food processor until chopped well. Add remaining ingredients and blend until a ball forms. Roll into 4 large or 8 smaller balls. Roll the balls in fine unsweetened coconut.

Servings: 4
Yield: 4 large or 8 smaller balls.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 254.5 calories; 43% calories from fat; 13.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 14.4mg sodium; 282.1mg potassium; 31.5g carbohydrates; 3.6g fiber; 20.2g sugar; 27.9g net carbs; 6.6g protein; 5.5 points.




Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: DOWN THE HOME STRETCH-- SOME PHOTOS AND A NEW SALAD DRESSING

Romaine lettuce and chard salad with garlic croutons, and marinated artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes, with the new dressing below.


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This is a quickie blog post! Last night I made a variation on my vinaigrette dressing using smokey toasted sesame oil and fig balsamic vinegar, a new find! It is delish! It would be great on a spinach salad, BTW! Delicious fig balsamic vinegar is made by a number of companies (including President's Choice in Canada). If you "google" it, you'll come up with a number of online sources. Amazon.com carries "Restaurant Lulu" brand.

Here's the recipe:

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S FIGGY- BALSAMIC-SESAME VINAIGRETTE (Low-Fat and WW Core Plan Compatible)
Yield: 1 and 1/2 cups

The sesame oil lends a smokiness that blends well with the fruity vinegar.

1 cup Fat-Free Oil Substitute for Salad Dressings (OR cold chickpea cooking broth)
1/4 cup Chinese (roasted) sesame oil (the dark kind)
1/4 cup fig balsamic vinegar (see text above)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt

Whisk, shake, or blend the ingredients together well, bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons): 54.8 calories; 70% calories from fat; 4.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 176.0mg sodium; 25.0mg potassium; 4.2g carbohydrates; 0.1g fiber; 2.2g sugar; 4.0g net carbs; 0.1g protein; 1.5 points.

PHOTO TEASERS OF THINGS I MADE THIS WEEKEND:

Italian Seitan Pot Roast (will be in my seitan e-book-- can be made in the oven or in a slow-cooker):





Spiedini Sandwiches made with Field Roast Grain Meatballs (from the upcoming Field Roast cookbook I'm working on):


Spiedini are skewered, browned Italian "meatballs"


For sandwiches, they are browned and served on crusty rolls (I only had baguettes cut in 8" lengths) and topped with a tasty tomato sauce. They were pretty filling-- we ate them open-face.


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: DELICIOUS PASTA WITH CHARD AND WINTER SQUASH

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(BTW, I'm not posting on weekends during Vegan Month of Food.)


Butternut squash


Our garden chard patch

I'm really liking the combination of chard and winter squash right now. They really complement eachother, in both color and flavor, and they happen to be plentiful, locally, right now! I made the following recipe for lunch yesterday. It's easy to make and it's a whole meal in itself! It also gave me a chance to use some of my homemade smoked tofu.



Printable Recipe

PASTA WITH SMOKED TOFU, CHARD AND WINTER SQUASH
Servings: 4

Adapted from a recipe from eatingwell.com. I changed the cooking method a bit and, since it seemed a bit dry, I added some of my vegan bechamel sauce. We loved it!

For the winter squash, you can use any "meaty" orange-fleshed winter squash, such as butternut, Hubbard or kabocha.

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz smoked tofu, in small cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups vegetarian broth
1 lb orange winter squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes ( about 3 cups)
1 small bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, thinly sliced (4-5 cups sliced)
8 oz whole-wheat penne, rigatoni or fusilli
3/4 cup Bryanna's Vegan Bechamel Sauce (you can make it without the fat if you want)
1/2 cup Parma! OR homemade Walnut Parmesan Substitute OR soy parmesan (Galaxy Vegan)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the smoked tofu to the pan, along with the broth and squash, and bring it to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chard and stir to mix in thoroughly. Cover and cook until the squash and chard are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook thepasta until just tender, about 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain it and add the squash mixture in the skillet, along with the Parmesan sub, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to mix.

Serve hot with more Parmesan sub on the side.


Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 558.2 calories; 8% calories from fat; 5.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 546.3mg sodium; 740.8mg potassium; 104.4g carbohydrates; 9.8g fiber; 4.1g sugar; 94.6g net carbs; 23.0g protein; 10.8 points.


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: A SMOKEY EGGPLANT DIP OR SPREAD

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A friend gave me some lovely locally-grown (right here on Denman Island!) eggplants and I decided to make an appetizer with them. The following recipe is delicious and I prefer it to the more well-known baba gannoush because the eggplant is not overwhelmed by the tahini.

I really like the Middle Eastern way of serving spreads on a shallow platter rather than a bowl. It looks more artistic, somehow, and it's easier for sharing!



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VERSION OF MUTABBAL (PALESTINIAN-STYLE EGGPLANT SPREAD OR DIP)

This is similar to Lebanese baba gannoush, but with less tahini, and some chile heat! I have seen Jordanian recipes that are similar, but with no chile. I actually prefer this style, with the tahini a more subtle ingredient. The garnish of smoked hot paprika is not authentic, but it really adds a nice touch!

2 large eggplants
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few shakes of hot sauce (I didn't have any fresh chilies around the house, so I used this instead-- if you use fresh green chile, mince it and mash it with the garlic with a fork before adding)
Garnish:
more extra-virgin olive oil
smoked hot paprika (pimenton)
kalamata olives
parsley

Remove the stem ends of the eggplants and make two horizontal cuts on each side of the eggplant. Place the eggplants under the broiler element for 30 minutes or more, turning once, until the skin is almost burnt.

While the eggplants cook, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice until smooth, and set aside.



When the eggplants are done-- they should be soft inside-- cut them in half and scrape our the soft flesh with the side of a spoon (I actually used a serrated grapefruit spoon), making sure not to leave any of the skin with the insides. Place the eggplant flesh on a plate and mash it well with a fork. (Do not puree it in a food processor-- you don't want it that smooth!)

Add the tahini/lemon juice mixture and mix in well with the fork. Add the olive oil, garlic, salt and hot sauce and mix well again.

Scoop the mixture onto a shallow oval serving dish and spread it out. Drizzle the top of the spread evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with the smoked paprika. Garnish with a few olives and some parsley.

Serve this as an appetizer with sesame crackers, pita bread or pita chips, or slices of fresh crusty bread.

Servings: 8

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 92.4 calories; 58% calories from fat; 6.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 124.3mg sodium; 299.1mg potassium; 8.9g carbohydrates; 4.5g fiber; 2.9g sugar; 4.4g net carbs; 2.2g protein; 1.6 points.


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: HOMEMADE SMOKED TOFU IN A STOVETOP SMOKER!

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Smoked tofu from my stovetop smoker

(Not familiar with smoked tofu? Check out this post. It includes updated info on available commercial brands.)

Last year, one of my "fans" very kindly gifted me with a Cameron stovetop smoker:


This handy-dandy smoker, which comes in two sizes, is so easy to use! It comes with little wood chips of a few varieties. You sprinkle about 1 1/2 tablespoons in the bottom of the smoker, cover that with the tray, and then add the food rack. You place the food on the rack, slide the cover in place and put it on your stove burner over medium heat. Foods take from 10 to 30 minutes to smoke, depending on how cooked and how smokey you want it. You can smoke eggplant, peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, and many other vegetables as well as tofu.

You can download the Cameron smoker instruction manual here. There are no instructions for smoking plant-based foods, but amazon has the book "Smokin' ", which was written for using the Cameron Stovetop Smoker. Despite the emphasis on meats, there are veggie recipes in it. Amazon has many other books on smoking, too. There are some smoked veggie instructions here.)

The Cameron stovetop smoker is available many places online-- just "google" it! amazon has it, and many venues that sell camping supplies and cookware. In Canada, the Cameron smokers and chips, etc., are available here.

This smoker has been a great boon to me because I LOVE smoked tofu! Soya Nova Tofu has been making great smoked tofu on Salt Spring Island, near us, for years, but it has been difficult to find lately. The reason is that they have moved their facility to Vancouver recently, and will also be making smoked tofu for Sunrise Soyganic. Evidently, they'll be producing as usual very soon but, in the meantime, I've had to make my own.

I had devised a recipe for tea-smoked tofu, a Chinese invention, for one of my newsletters, and it was tasty, but I've been working on a way to make my homemade smoked tofu taste more like the Soya Nova brand.

This time, I purchased super-firm tofu. I got Sunrise Soyganic Organic Super-Firm Tofu, but a number of brands carry that variety-- Wildwood, Nasoya, Nature's Soy, Pete's Tofu...

I marinated it overnight in a mixture of 2 parts soy sauce, 2 parts Chinese (toasted) sesame oil, and 1 part maple syrup. You have to cover the tofu (I cut the cubes in half) with the marinade, but you can refrigerate it in a covered jar and re-use it. It will keep for several weeks.

Then I smoked it with hickory wood chips for about 30 minutes, turning them over half-way through. But it is really good! I just eat it plain, or in a sandwich , or on a cracker (chutney's good with it!). Mmm-mmm-mm!



Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: SOURDOUGH NO-KNEAD BREAD EXPERIMENT

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Some of you may be familiar with the no-knead bread revolution, and my own small experiments. I've been wanting to try making it with only sourdough starter-- no yeast-- but haven't had time lately. However, a few days ago, I planned ahead and gave it a shot. The results were not bad, but it still needs work.

Why sourdough? Well, I've known for a long time that sourdough breads have a better glycemic index rating than yeasted breads-- good news for diabetics and people who need to lose weight. Recently there was a small study that showed positive blood sugar responses to sourdough bread-- even white bread! And, these responses stayed with the body for quite some time.

Even though it's nice to know that a white sourdough bread can be a good thing, I still like the idea of adding some wholewheat flour for fiber and other nutrients.

I got out my two sourdough starters-- my San-Francisco-style soy yogurt one and my Carl Griffith's Oregon Trail starter-- and refreshed them, and then made two batters with them.


Bubbly sourdough batter

I didn't figure the percentage of water to flour-- I just adapted my no-knead recipe according to my experience. But, next time I'll be more scientific. My starters were less liquidy than I thought they were, so I had to do some fast-footwork, and, in the end, I wound up with doughs that were a bit too stiff.

With Carl's starter, I used a large amount of white starter and added wholewheat flour. But it ended up being mostly white. With the San Francisco starter, I added more wholewheat.

I mixed the doughs and shaped the loaves and set them to rise as in my original recipe, swathed in clean large white plastic bags.


I made 2 loaves out of the more wholegrain dough, and one larger one for the mostly white one.

I rose them at room temperature for 5 hours, and then refrigerated them for 12 hours-- timing them so that they would bake first thing the next morning. I really don't think that sourdough will react well to many days in the refrigerator, as the yeast dough does. Correct me if I'm wrong! That's why I only refrigerated the loaves for 12 hours and why I formed them before the refrigerator rise.

I took the risen loaves out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature while I heated the covered, heavy pans I was using in the oven at 457 degrees F for 30 minutes. I used two different sizes of enamelled cast iron pots, and one large clay baker-- the clay baker soaked in hot water for 15 minutes before placing in a cold oven. Then I baked them as per my yeast recipe, but they didn't need the extra 15 minutes with the lids off.

They came out nice and crusty, and very tasty, but didn't have big holes in the crumb. I think that's because the dough was not wet enough.


One of the more whole grain loaves


The whiter loaf



I'll be trying this again to get it right, and will report back!


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: VEGAN MERINGUES!

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Vegan Cocoa-Pecan Meringue Cookies!

Another great product from Alice at Angel Food, Ltd. in New Zealand! I wrote about Alice's vegan marshmallow kit in a previous post. I'm not a great marshmallow fan, but they were easy to make, came out just great, and made tons!

Alice's new kit is for making crispy meringue cookies, something I can appreciate much more than marshmallows! I've had the kit for some time and just yesterday got around to trying them. I just made a small batch-- about 1/4 of the box-- and I felt like a little chocolate and nuts, so I added some of both to the mix (Alice said that was okay!).

It's easy-- the directions are right on the package for making 24 cookies. To that recipe I added:
1/8 tsp. salt (added to sugar mixture)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (added at end of mixing)
2/3 cup finely-minced toasted pecans (added at end of mixing0
1 teaspoon vanilla (added to the water)

The recipe calls for caster sugar, or super-fine sugar (not powdered). I didn't have any, so I ground light organic granulated sugar in a spice/coffee mill:



I measured the sugar AFTER grinding it. This worked very well.

First you beat water with a 2 tablespoons from sachet A:


It whips up to soft peaks.

Then you add a dry mixture of the sugar (3/4 cup) and 2 1/2 teaspoons from sachet B (and I added the salt). Wow! It sure looks like meringue!

If you are making plain meringues, you bake them at this point. But I added my cocoa and nuts first and just beat to mix them well:





Gooey, thick meringue mixture (the cocoa shows up more when the meringues are baked, BTW):


Then you spoon or pipe (I spooned) the gooey mixture onto a baking-parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) for about 30 minutes, or until crispy.

I made 16 larger cookies, and I had to bake them for 50 minutes, and then let them dry out in the oven (turned off) for about 10 more minutes before removing them to a rack to cool. They turned out really well and would go well with vegan ice cream or fruit.



Alice gives you some suggestions for variations, and you can find more by looking up meringue cookies on the Internet. I found an interesting version made with pecans (as above, but no cocoa), the cookies made rather flat, and then sandwiched with strawberry sauce and whipped cream (vegans can use Soyatoo)-- sounds like a winner to me!

The box makes about 100 small vegan meringues, so, for under $7 US, that's not bad! The mix is available in the US (online) at Food Fight! in Portland, OR; veganessentials.com (they ship internationally); and from Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe from Atlanta, GA. vivagranola.com in Canada (Quebec) now carries it, too.

Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: YESTERDAY WAS WORLD FOOD DAY-- WHAT CAN YOU DO?

What is Vegan MoFo? Click here to find out! (BTW, I'm not posting on weekends during Vegan MoFo!)

Have a dialogue with friends to open them up to the idea of going veg or vegan! Here are some resources that might help:



World Food Crisis: Is global meat consumption a major cause?



ARTICLES:

European Vegetarian Union World Food Day Press Release

Peter Singer on the world food crisis

Meat Means Misery for the World's Hungry

You Call Yourself a Progressive -- But You Still Eat Meat?

A Few More 'Inconvenient Truths'

Is the growing of soy really responsible for massive deforestation in Latin America and elsewhere?


More for everyone if you....

VEGAN MOFO: VEGAN AFGHAN SQUASH OR PUMPKIN RECIPE

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Autumn brings me one of my favorite vegetables, winter squash, and this is one of our favorite ways to serve squash. Though it's called "sweet", it is actually savory as well. And though it is meant to be served as an appetizer, we enjoyed it as a vegetarian entree. Give it a try-- you won't be disappointed! (And read about the nutritional qualities of winter squash here!)



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN AFGHAN KADU BOURANEE (Sweet Pumpkin Appetizer)
Servings: 4

Serve this dish with basmati rice or naan bread. It is delicious!

2 lb fresh pumpkin or orange winter squash (I used hubbard squash-- butternut would be good, too)
1/4 cup olive oil

SWEET TOMATO SAUCE:
1 Tbs crushed garlic
1 cup water
1/2 Tbs salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste mixed with
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbs ground coriander
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
NOTE: I've seen a description of this with finely-chopped walnuts in it, too-- BCG

YOGURT SAUCE:
1/4 tsp (1 small clove) crushed garlic
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup Tofu "Yogurt" (see recipe below in "Cooking Tips"-- use 1/2 the recipe)
OR commercial tofu sour creme

GARNISH:
fresh, chopped or dry, crushed mint leaves, crushed

Peel the squash and cut into 2-3" cubes; set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan that has a lid. Fry the pumpkins on both sides until lightly browned.



Mix together ingredients for Sweet Tomato Sauce in a bowl, then add to squash mixture in fry pan. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes over low heat, until the pumpkin is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated. Mix together the ingredients for the yogurt sauce.
To serve: Spread half the yogurt sauce on a plate and lay the cooked squash on top. Top with remaining yogurt and any cooking juices left over. Sprinkle with mint.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 366.5 calories; 34% calories from fat; 14.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 1237.3mg sodium; 991.6mg potassium; 60.8g carbohydrates; 5.4g fiber; 32.1g sugar; 55.4g net carbs; 4.3g protein; 7.7 points.

Cooking Tips
BRYANNA'S THICK AND CREAMY TOFU "YOGURT"
Yield: 1 and 1/2 cups

Silken tofu makes a smooth, rich-tasting mixture which can be used anywhere you would normally use yogurt, including cooking. The fruit variation is delicious for breakfast or dessert, but you can also eat it with a bit of brown sugar and bananas, or any other way you like.

1 (12.3 oz.) box extra-firm SILKEN tofu (can be lite)
1/4 c. lemon juice (bottled organic is fine)
1/2 tsp. sugar
pinch salt

Process in a food processor or blender until VERY smooth. Keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you want a thinner yogurt, just add a little water until it's the consistency you want.

Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: VEGAN SHOPPING AND EATING IN "TOWN"

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This was our bi-weekly day to head off the island (to the "Big Island"-- Vancouver Island) and do our shopping and "town" errands, visit my mother, and go out for lunch with her and some friends. "Town" is Courtenay, BC, which has, I believe, a population of about 30,000. We try to go off island with the car only once every two weeks, because of gas and ferry costs, as well as in the interests of conserving energy. (When I go to work two days a week, I "walk on" the ferry and either get a ride with someone on the ferry, or take the bus.)

After doing some shopping at two of the local supermarkets, and doing other errands, we picked up my mom (bringing her a load of books from the library I manage-- about 2 weeks from her 91st birthday, she's still an avid reader) and headed to the nearby town of Comox, only about 5 minutes away from Courtenay. There, we met a couple of friends at The Blackfin Pub and had a congenial lunch.


The Blackfin, overlooking the Comox Harbour

We're lucky in our area to have many restaurants where we can actually have a pleasant vegan entree. We really like the Veggie Burgers at the Blackfin because they have a veggie patty AND a grilled Portobello mushroom together, with lots of veggies, on a wholegrain bun. It's filling and satisfying and juicy! That's what DH had, as usual:



I usually have the burger, too, but opted to try the Cashew Veggie Stir-Fry this time:



I got the "small" size, which was huge! It was pleasantly full of noodles, veggies, cashews and sesame seeds, in a sweetish sauce, which wasn't bad, but there was too much sauce. However, kudos for having a vegan option! And, in a pub at that!

I would say that in almost every restaurant in our area (aside from fast food joints), you can find something vegan that is actually good to eat. Even one of the pizza places has a wholegrain pizza crust and you can get veggie pepperoni on it! For a small city, that's pretty good!

We are also lucky to have good shopping here. There are only a very few items that I have to either order online, or get in Nanaimo or Vancouver.

After lunch, we did our last shopping at the local natural foods store, Edible Island Whole Foods Market on 6th St.



This store has been around for over 20 years and is well-stocked with organic produce (local whenever possible) and many vegan products, in a pleasant atmosphere. We always bump into friends and neighbors in Edible Island!


The refrigerator and freezer section


Looking at the section with cheeses, including vegan cheese like "Sheese"


The "meat subs" section


Some of the large bulk foods section


The produce section

Something more to be thankful for!

Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: QUICK AND EASY VEGETABLE-BASED VEGAN LEMON CURD!

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This sweet spread is adapted from a recipe by food writer William Woys Weaver. It's a really novel recipe using parsnips, of all things, as the base! That intrigued me, because it sounded a lot more healthful than a sugar/cornstarch mixture (although I do have a recipe for that type of vegan lemon curd, because I don't always have parsnips around the house!). However, I found his recipe way too sweet and not lemony enough, plus I wanted to make it quickly, so here's my version.

BTW, parsnips are virtually fat-free and very low in calories (only 60 calories in 1/2 cup when cooked). Parsnips are a good source of folate and also contains some iron. This root vegetable is also a source of magnesium, potassium, vitamin C and pantothenic acid. 1 cup of cooked parsnips gives you a hefty 6.4 grams of fiber, too!


Parsnips, the unlikely base for a delicious lemon curd!


The finished product

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S QUICK VEGETABLE-BASED VEGAN LEMON CURD
Yield: 1 and 1/2 cups

This lemon curd is delicious in tarts, as a cake filling, or as a spread on scones.

NOTE: if you don't have a microwave oven, steam the cubed parsnips until tender instead of microwaving them, and cook the processed mixture in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking all the time, until thick and glossy. Otherwise, do the same as instructed in the recipe.

1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and diced
3/4 cup light granulated organic sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Earth Balance
6 Tbs freshly-squeezed lemon juice (or you can use bottled organic lemon juice)finely grated zest of one large lemon
1 pinch turmeric
1/2 tablespoon more lemon juice

Microwave the parsnips with 1/2 c. water in a covered Pyrex dish for 10 minutes, or til very tender.



Drain if necessary and place in a food processor with the remaining ingredients, except for the last 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Process until very smooth.



Scrape the mixture into a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave oh High for 3 minutes, uncovered. Whisk smooth and microwave on High 3 minutes more. It should be thick and glossy. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and whisk vigorously for a minute or two. Scoop the mixture into a jar or dish, cover and refrigerate. Keeps 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons [6 teaspoons]): 77.4 calories; 16% calories from fat; 1.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 17.0mg sodium; 82.8mg potassium; 16.7g carbohydrates; 1.0g fiber; 13.6g sugar; 0.3g protein; 1.5 points.

JUST FOR COMPARISON'S SAKE:

The same quantity of traditional lemon curd made from this recipe contains 1 1/2 cups sugar (twice as much as my recipe), 1/2 cup of butter, 3 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks!

Compare the nutrition facts with the recipe above:
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 4 teaspoons): 129 calories; 44% calories from fat; 6.4g total fat; 69mg cholesterol; 48mg sodium; 24mg potassium; 17.5g carbohydrates (mostly from sugar!); 0.1g dietary fiber; 16.9g sugars; 1.4g protein


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: CANADIAN THANKSGIVING FEAST; DELISH FALL SALAD RECIPE

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We had our Thanksgiving dinner last night with 3 vegan couples, good friends and fellow food-lovers. We had a great time and ate way too much, as usual! One really nice thing about the meal was that most of the vegetables and fruits-- the chard, the squash, the potatoes, the apples, the pears, the chantarelles, the beets, even the gourds decorating the table-- were locally grown (mostly by ourselves or our friends) and organic!

I made most of the meal, but I spread it out over the week, making the "Turkey" 4 days ahead, the stuffing, Cashew creme Topping, and Pear Cranberry Sauce 2 days ahead, and the Tofu Pot Pie and pastry for the tart the night before.

BTW, there are lots of vegan holiday links, recipes and ideas on my webpage here, and here are some Thanksgiving blog posts:

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/11/ideas-for-vegan-thanksgiving.html

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/10/happy-thanksgiving-canada.html

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/09/maple-walnut-sheaf-of-wheat-bread.html

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2006/10/baking-for-canadian-thanksgiving.html


Our menu this year was:

Chard and Apple Salad with Maple-Glazed Butternut Squash and Raspberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)



Soy and Seitan "Turkey"

Tofu Pot Pie

Traditional Sage and Onion Bread Stuffing

Pelka's Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Rich Brown Gravy

Pelka's Orange and Wine-Glazed Beets

Pear Cranberry Sauce



Italian Pear Tart with Cashew Creme Topping



Sarah's Vegan Steamed Pumpkin Pudding with Pecan Topping and Brown Sugar Sauce


Sarah's Steamed Pumpkin Pudding was absolutely stunning and scrumptious!

I'd like to share the salad recipe with you. I wanted to use our chard and a nice local butternut squash that I had, and I needed a salad, so this is what I came up with. It was super-delicious and a big hit!



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CHARD AND APPLE SALAD WITH MAPLE-BRAISED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND RASPBERRY-BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
Servings: 4-8

Salad:
8 oz. Swiss chard (Ruby chard is nice), washed and spun, and thinly sliced
2 medium apples (crisp ones), thinly-sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Squash:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash
1 tablespoon soy bacon bits or chips
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons maple syrup
OPTIONAL:
8 oz thickly-sliced chanterelles, sauteed in 1 tablespoon Earth Balance
Raspberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette: (you can make this ahead of time)
4 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons mashed fresh or frozen, thawed raspberries (unsweetened)
1/3 cup Fat-Free Oil Substitute for Salad Dressings
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tablespoon agave nectar
1/2 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix together the chard, apples and lemon jujice. Cover and set aside in a cool place.

Heat the olive oil for the squash in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the squash cubes and soy bacon bits, the salt and pepper. Quickly brown the squash a bit on all sides, then turn the heat to medium, cover, and braise for about 10 minutes, or until the squash is cooked through but not mushy. Check it every few minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and turn up the heat, stirring gently to glaze the squash cubes. remove from heat.

To make the Vinaigrette, mix all of the ingredients together and whisk, blend or shake.

Divide the chard-apple mixture between your plates and then top each with some of the squash. If you are using the optional chantarelles, top the squash with them. Drizzle each portion with a little of the Vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 138.9 calories; 45% calories from fat; 7.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 229.0mg sodium; 381.5mg potassium; 19.7g carbohydrates; 2.7g fiber; 10.4g sugar; 17.0g net carbs; 1.5g protein; 2.8 points.

For 4 larger servings, the Nutrition Facts are: Nutrition (per serving): 277.8 calories; 45% calories from fat; 14.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 457.9mg sodium; 763.1mg potassium; 39.4g carbohydrates; 5.5g fiber; 20.7g sugar; 34.0g net carbs; 3.0g protein; 6.0 points.

For 6 servings: Nutrition (per serving): 185.2 calories; 45% calories from fat; 9.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 305.3mg sodium; 508.7mg potassium; 26.3g carbohydrates; 3.6g fiber; 13.8g sugar; 22.6g net carbs; 2.0g protein; 3.8 points.


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: A REALLY GOOD VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE, HIGH-FIBER YEASTED BREAD

What is Vegan MoFo? Click here to find out!

BTW, I'm not posting on weekends during vegan MoFo!


My high-Fiber Gluten-Free Yeast Bread, baked and photographed by Brenda Wiley.

I am not, as you probably noticed, gluten-intolerant. But several years ago, a friend who is asked me for a good gluten-free bread recipe, because the commercial brands were very expensive (up to $9 a loaf in our area), and not very good. I searched many books and website, and most of the bread recipes I found were not very high in fiber, and contained alot of eggs for structure. So, I did some research and came up with a High-Fiber Gluten-Free Flour Mix (I was doing my book "The Fiber for Life Cookbook" at the time), which can be used for breads, but also muffins, cakes, cookies, etc.. I had intended to include it in that book, but there wasn't room. So, it hasn't been published anywhere-- just sent to friends or readers who requested it.

I used the flour mix in the yeast bread and produced a loaf that my husband and I (both NOT gluten-intolerant) liked-- the taste and texture were good. I posted the recipe for my newsletter subscribers on their forum, and Brenda Wiley, an adventurous cook and author of the tofu-making page on my website (which is soon migrating to her own in-progress website), was curious about it.

She has recently been bitten by the webpage-building bug, and is creating her own breadmaking site. Her husband is gluten-intolerant, so she had tried my bread recipe, among several others. Here is what she says about it:

"My husband is gluten intolerant, so over the past few years I have discovered how totally different eating gluten free can be. Many items I have tried are "ok for gluten free", but not items I would make just to enjoy for myself (who is able to eat gluten without problems).

Then I found this bread recipe. This is honestly THE BEST gluten free bread I've tried (and I've gone through a lot of different recipes). This bread is tasty and enjoyable in its own right ... gluten free or not!"

AND:

"Her development of a gluten free yeast bread is quite an accomplishment. As noted in other parts of this web site, it is the gluten that gives yeast bread its most wonderful taste and texture. Bryanna has a winner of a recipe here: a tasty bread with wonderful texture."

I consider this high praise from a fine cook! You can find the recipes for the Gluten-Free High-Fiber Flour Mix, and my Gluten-Free High-Fiber Bread on Brenda's website. And there are more things to peruse, with lots more to come! So, if you like to make healthful breads, bookmark Brenda's website and check back often!


Meeting Brenda Wiley at the 2006 Vegetarian Awakening Conference.

Thank you, Brenda!
Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: EASY, FRUIT-SWEETENED HOMEMADE KETCHUP!

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Homemade ketchup? It's super-easy!

This is an old recipe of mine, slightly revised over about 15 years time, but it's never really been published anywhere. It's easily and quickly made from ingredients you probably have around the house. Okay, it's not made totally "from scratch", as it would be if you started with fresh tomatoes. But most of the year we don't have good fresh tomatoes, and if I can find them I just want to eat them, not make them into ketchup!

But you can tailor this recipe to your family's tastes, and to allergies that family members may have, as well. You can use supermarket ingredients, or organic ingredients. Judging by the price of organic tomato paste and organic frozen OJ (from my Web searches), this would be almost $1 cheaper per 24 oz. to make with organic ingredients than it would be to buy commercial organic ketchup, and it's nice to be in control, too! It also happens to taste great, too, and you can make it more tart, or more sweet, according to how YOU like it!

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S QUICK FRUIT-SWEETENED KETCHUP
Yield: about 1 quart

This recipe passed the teenage taste-test some years ago, carried out by three male members of the local Heinz ketchup cult of food-disguising (aka, my son and stepsons when they were teenagers), plus it has the approval of DH, who is a ketchup maniac!

1 1/4 cups water
2 small (5.5 oz.) cans tomato paste
1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup vinegar (any kind except red wine or balsamic-- I prefer apple cider vinegar) OR lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic granules or powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
freshly-ground black pepper to taste, if desired
1 bay leaf
OPTIONAL:
1/4 cup dark agave nectar, if you like it sweeter (add after simmering-- taste first)
NOTE:
In case of a citrus allergy, use apple, pear or pineapple juice concentrate instead of orange-- but you might need a tiny bit more vinegar to achieve the right tartness.

Whisk together the water, tomato paste, and orange juice concentrate in a medium bowl.



Whisk in the vinegar or lemon juice, along with the salt and seasonings (except the bay leaf). Pour the mixture into a large nonstick, cast iron, or stainless steel skillet. (The reason you use a skillet is that the wide surface makes the mixture cook down faster.)

NOTE: A plain stainless steel pan tends to have "hot spots," which makes food cook unevenly and stick and scorch. So, a layer of heat-conducting metal, such as aluminum, is often bonded to the bottom of the pan in order to conduct the heat evenly over the entire area and provide even cooking without hot spots. Or the pan can be made from two thin sheets of stainless with a middle layer of aluminum. If you use a stainless steel skillet, make sure it is made in one of the above two ways.



Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil, watching carefully, because it will spit! Immediately turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir from time to time.



Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the mixture and add the optional agave nectar, if you wish. Pour into clean jars or bottles. It will keep 2 months refrigerated. Otherwise, seal and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (Nutrition Facts calculated with optional agave nectar added.)
Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons): 22.8 calories; 2% calories from fat; 0.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 89.4mg sodium; 153.2mg potassium; 5.7g carbohydrates; 0.5g fiber; 4.6g sugar; 5.2g net carbs; 0.6g protein; 0.4 points.


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: VEGAN BAKED DOUGHNUTS, TWO WAYS

What is Vegan MoFo? Click here to find out!

Do you like doughnuts? Silly question--who doesn't? I love them, but I rarely eat them from doughnut shops and bakeries because they are a.) fried, probably in questionable fat, and b.) usually not vegan! But, over the years, I have discovered two ways to make yummy vegan doughnuts without frying them.

It took quite a bit of experimenting because "veganizing" the baked doughnut recipes that I found did not seem to work, so I had to start from scratch. Below is what I have come up with, and the recipes are open to variation!

RECIPE #1:



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S BAKED MAPLE-SPICE CAKE DOUGHNUTS (Wheat-free? Possibly!)
Yield: 12 doughnuts

If you are lucky enough to have some of those black, nonstick baked doughnut pans (you need two pans for this recipe, or you can make 2 batches in succession), you are in for a treat! These are truly satisfying for doughnut cravings! WHEAT-FREE VERSION? I haven't tried this yet, but I think this recipe would work with my High-Fiber Gluten-Free Flour Mix in place of the pastry flour— see recipe here.

Liquid Mixture:
1 cup soymilk
1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
2/3 cup light unbleached sugar
2 Tbs oil
1 tsp vanilla
Dry Mixture:
2 cups pastry flour (white or wholewheat, or a mixture)
1/4 cup soy or chickpea flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly-ground nutmeg
Glaze and Topping
1 cup organic powdered (icing) sugar
1/4 cup real maple syrup (Grade B is good)
1 cup chopped roasted nuts of choice (walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts/filberts are excellent choices)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Spray the pans (see photo of pans below recipe) with an oil spray-can and sprinkle each one with a little unbleached sugar (this makes the bottoms crispy).

Beat the liquid ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together in another smaller bowl, then add to the liquid ingredients and stir briefly, just to mix.

Divide the batter evenly between 12 doughnut molds and smooth it out evenly (use about 3 Tbs. batter per doughnut). Bake 15 minutes. Remove the doughnuts to a rack to cool.

Whisk together the sugar and maple syrup. Dip the doughnuts in the glaze, or spread it over the top of the doughnuts. Sprinkle the tops with chopped roasted nuts while the glaze is still wet.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per doughnut): 227.1 calories; 36% calories from fat; 9.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 184.0mg sodium; 172.3mg potassium; 33.5g carbohydrates; 3.6g fiber; 16.2g sugar; 4.5g protein; 4.6 points.

Recipe Source
Author: Bryanna Clark Grogan
Source: The Vegan Feast/April/May/June 2007


Nonstick doughnut pan


RECIPE #2:



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN MINI DONUT MAKER DOUGHNUTS
Yield: 30 small doughnuts

I found one of those Salton mini donut makers at a thrift store. It looks like a big white doughnut and has 6 nonstick doughnut-shaped depressions for the dough, with a lid with matching depressions that comes down over it.



Williams-Sonoma had this one for a while, but I can't find it online anywhere, so they must have discontinued it:



Your best bet to find one is a thrift store, garage sale, or online auction.

Most of the recipes I found online contain not only eggs, but a fair amount of fat. I have been experimenting with vegan doughs and have found out that, contrary to the directions for this type of machine (other companies make similar ones), a pourable vegan batter does NOT work. You need a thicker batter. It's a bit more trouble spooning the batter into the bottom depressions than pouring it, but it works beautifully! This batter contains no added fat, but the doughnuts are tender and tasty.

Cooking Tips
Glaze these doughnuts with a plain glaze of organic powdered sugar and hot water (1/2 cup powdered sugar and start with 1 tbs. boiling water-- mix, adding more water as necessary, but in minute amounts, until a dipping consistency), or any favorite glaze. Then they can be dipped in colored sugar, etc., if you wish. OR use a chocolate icing. OR brush with melted Earth Balance and dip in cinnamon sugar.

WET MIX:
8 oz medium-firm tofu OR extra-firm SILKEN tofu
3/4 cup vegan sugar
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs vinegar or lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
DRY MIX:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
6 Tbs corn flour (grind cornmeal in a coffee mill until fine, if necessary)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp powdered ginger

VARIATIONS:
Spicier Version:
Use brown sugar, if you like. Use 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger, and 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg. Optional is 1/4 tsp. ground cloves or allspice.
Chocolate Version:
In the basic version, use 6 Tbs. organic cocoa instead of the corn flour. Omit spices and almond extract and use 1 Tbs. vanilla. You can use cold liquid coffee or coffee substitute instead of water

Instructions:
Plug in your donut maker. Spray the top and bottom depressions well with oil from a pump sprayer. Close the lid and let heat for about 10 minutes.

Blend the Wet Mix ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Whisk the Dry Mix ingredients well in a medium bowl. Add the wet mix and whisk in just until blended-- briefly, like a muffin batter.

When ready to cook, scoop out EXACTLY 1 level Tbs. of batter (use a measuring tablespoon, not a soup spoon) and use your finger to scoop it into one of the bottom depressions, evenly spreading it around the center. Repeat until all are filled. Immediately close the machine and set a timer for 4 minutes.

When 4 minutes is up, the cover should open easily and the doughnuts will be golden-brown. Use a wooden skewer to loosen and remove the doughnuts to a baking rack. Repeat until all of the batter is gone.

Glaze the doughnuts while still hot, setting them on a baking rack over a cookie sheet to let the glaze drip.

Nutrition Facts (analyzed without glaze)
Nutrition (per doughnut): 46.6 calories; 5% calories from fat; 0.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 57.7mg sodium; 54.5mg potassium; 10.1g carbohydrates; 0.8g fiber; 5.1g sugar; 1.4g protein; MyPoints 1.1

Recipe Source
Author: Bryanna Clark Grogan
Source: The Vegan Feast/ Aug/Sept 05


Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO: MY FAVORITE DESSERT DIVA, FRAN COSTIGAN

What is Vegan MoFo? Click here to find out!



If you don't already have a copy of Fran Costigan's More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally, then put it on your holiday wishlist immediately! It's a vegan kitchen must-have.

Fran herself is a wonderful, warm, funny, loving, hard-working and knowledgable person. I'm privileged to be able to call her my friend.



We met at a NAVS SummerFest quite a few years ago. She was presenting the day before I was. She had a mini-disaster while baking some cookies in her workshop-- one of the helpers placed cookie dough on baking-parchment-covered trays as directed, but used plastic serving trays instead of metal baking trays! They were slipped into the oven as Fran demonstrated another dish. She began to smell plastic and peeked into the oven to see the trays melting! She quickly shut the oven door and turned off the oven, and kept going.

I needed to use the oven in my workshop, so Fran and I met over a garbage can-- scraping hardened plastic off the oven racks! We had a great time, though, and discovered many similarities in our personal backgrounds, as well as both being Geminis and cooks! Even though we live on opposite ends of the continent, and usually only meet at vegan conferences, we keep in touch and have a great time when we meet!


Me and Fran in the middle, between chefs Eric Tucker and Sualua Tupolo at the airport after the 2007 Vegetarian Awakening vegan chef's conference in Grand Rapids, Michegan.


The chefs at the 2007 Vegetarian Awakening Conference Back Row (L to R): Tal Ronnen, Chad Sarno, Ian Brandt, Kevin Dunn, Eric Tucker, Sualua Tupolo; Front (L to R) Bryanna, Cathi Di Cocco, Fran Costigan


I visited briefly with Fran when I was in New York last March. In her tiny apartment kitchen, she was making a vegan wedding cake for her daughter, plus about 400 biscotti!


The Chocolate Cake to Live For, for Tracy & Rob by Mom Costigan (Mocha ganache and white vegan buttercream)-- spectacular!!

Fran uses the best natural ingredients, and, unlike alot of pastry chefs, she doesn't go crazy on the fats! Her desserts are absolutely fabulous and have won over traditionalists such as Deborah Madison:

"I’m a fan of traditional pastry – flaky, buttery pie crusts, sugar cookies made with white sugar and wheat flour, rich pastry creams and all of that. I’ve even worked as a pastry chef. But when I wanted to make a chocolate cake for a vegan friend, I didn’t know where to begin. Thankfully Fran Costigan came to the rescue. I made her Chocolate Cake. I couldn’t believe how utterly delicious it was! No one who tasted the tender-crumbed, dark chocolate cake guessed that it was made with whole-wheat pastry flour, maple syrup, no eggs and oil instead of butter. Even I, the big doubter, was terribly impressed and very pleased to know that such good confections can be made in a healthful manner without losing their taste. Cooking from Fran’s book has taught me to open my mind to new possibilities. Vegan I am not, but I’d make this cake (and many of her other recipes) again, purely for my own selfish enjoyment."
Deborah Madison, award-winning author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Fran also gives explicit directions and lots of information about ingredients-- so important with any baking, but especially vegan baking!

Fran's going to have a blog soon, so keep an eye out for it!

Get this book and start baking!

Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO, AND SPAGHETTI DINNER ON SALT SPRING ISLAND

What is Vegan MoFo? Click here to find out! (Sorry to be so late with this posting! Computer issues!)


Salt Spring sea view

We traveled south on Vancouver Island this weekend and took a ferry to a much larger island than ours (Denman Is.)-- Salt Spring Island. DH has a stepdaughter (Kathy) and three step-grandchildren there, and even 2 step great-grandchildren! (We have a complicated blended family because we were both widowed when we got married, with large families in tow!) Denman Island has a population of about 1500 now, and Salt Spring has about 14,000, so it's almost like going to the "big city" for us, with rural and alternative twists!

After a leisurely drive down, stopping in Nanaimo, which is where you get the big ferry to Vancouver) to check out DH's favorite music store, Fascinating Rhythm, and have a delicious vegan Lebanese lunch at Aladdin's Cafe. (They have a generous vegetarian plate with spicy carrots, fantastic tabbouli, baba ganoush, creamy hummous, vegetarian stuffed grape leaves, olives, homemade pita, and felafel.) Nicely sated, we continued on to the little town of Crofton, where you catch the salt Spring ferry.

We arrived with plenty of time to settle in and have a good chat with Kathy and her husband before they took us to the Rock Salt Restaurant & Cafe in tiny Fulford Harbour, near their house. This is a charming restaurant with an interesting menu. They make everything from scratch and try to use as many local and organic products as possible. There were plenty of vegan options (and vegetarian stuff that could be made vegan).

I had the Organic Smoked Tofu Burger (Salt Spring's Soya Nova Tofu makes it-- delicious smoked tofu!) seared in tamarind chipotle bbq sauce, and topped with sweet caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms (I ask them to leave off the cheese), on a homemade ciabatta bun. There was a delicious Asian slaw on the side.

DH had the Roasted Yam (actually sweet potato) Quesadilla, grilled with tamarind tomato chipotle sauce, toasted pumpkin seeds, cilantro, green onion, served with salsa, and Asian slaw (you can ask to have the cheese left off). Kathy had the Tokyo Spinach Salad, which consisted of warm sugar baked yams, cucumber, julienne carrots and toasted sesame seeds tossed in house-made miso vinaigrette. All of our dishes were delicious and filling. They had a very nice house wine, too! I would recommend eating there if you ever visit Salt Spring!

Even though the weather was lousy, we had a good time. On Saturday, DH and I walked all over Ganges, the main town, which is really bustling-- it's hard to find a parking space! We meandered through the Saturday market, which is smaller than it was in the summer, but still entertaining. We walked along the dock to see all the boats, and we checked out the local shops, including the health food store. In the afternoon we went back to Kathy's house, just as it started to pour!


Kathy's back deck in the rain


Kathy's beautiful sumac tree through the rain

DH had made his famous spaghetti sauce to bring, because the family always misses his spaghetti. (The recipe is in my book Nonna's Italian Kitchen-- Brian's Ragu.) Because we had a crowd, we stretched it out by adding some red wine, mushrooms, and a package of Yves Ground Round. With a beautiful salad by Kathy (with Annie's Natural's [vegan] Green Goddess Dressing-- I had never had this before, since I rarely buy salad dressing, but it was yummy!), dishes of avocado and olives, red wine, and Brians' great bread(recipe here), we had plenty for 9 adults and two kids (also there was Kathy's daughter and husband and two children; Kathy's son and his girlfriend; and Aimee, Kathy's niece and Brian's step-grandaughter, who graduated from high school this summer.


(Unfortunately, the light wasn't good, so the photos are a bit fuzzy.)


Brian's spaghetti


A beautiful salad!


Brian's bread

For dessert, Kathy made a delicious apple crumble, which got eaten before I could take a picture!

I was happy to get home on Sunday (we attended a play in Nanaimo on the way home-- first live theater I've seen in a long time!), but it was a lovely, relaxing weekend!

I hope you had a good one, too!

VEGAN PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH-STYLE "CHICKEN" CORN SOUP

What is Vegan MoFo? Click here to find out!

More vegan comfort food! When I had company, I was trying to make some easy dishes that would feed a crowd and that omnivores would like. I had reconstituted Soy Curls® and lots of corn. I remembered this soup from somewhere in my memory. It usually just has corn in it, but I added some celery and carrots for body and interest. I left out the usual hard-boiled egg that is sprinkled on top, of course! It was a winner.



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH-STYLE "CHICKEN" AND CORN SOUP
Servings: 6

This is so simple, but my DH and omnivore guests just gobbled it up! It's really low in calories, but it seems "rib-sticking"! The quality of the broth is REALLY important to this recipe. Other alternatives to the broth paste I suggested are below in Cooking Tips.

6 cups good vegetarian "chicken-style" vegetarian broth
(I used Superior Touch "Better than Bouillon" "No Chicken Vegan Base", which is a paste-- see Cooking Tips below for alternatives and measures)
2 cups re-hydrated Soy Curls® or other vegan chicken sub, in strips
(2 oz. dry-- see here for info on Soy Curls® and how to reconstitute)
2 medium carrots, scraped and diced small
2 stalks celery, with leaves, sliced
1 3/4 cups tagliatelle (dry flat egg-free pasta) broken up (instead of egg noodles)
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen sweet corn kernels
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

Mix together the broth, Soy Curls®, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and corn. Turn the heat down and simmer, covered, until the pasta is tender. Taste for salt and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley or chives.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 159.8 calories; 11% calories from fat; 2.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 720.3mg sodium; 201.6mg potassium; 29.3g carbohydrates; 3.1g fiber; 3.4g sugar; 26.2g net carbs; 8.6g protein; 2.8 points.

Cooking Tips
CHICKEN-STYLE VEGETARIAN BROTH

The product you use should contribute full flavor, not just saltiness. Unfortunately, many vegetarian broth powders do not deliver in the flavor department! And, sadly, the major organic brands are inadequate--too salty and not enough real flavor.

Brands of instant vegetarian broth, or bouillon, powders, pastes, and cubes seem to vary from region to region, even within North America. Many readers use brands that I have never heard of, or cannot get where I live in Western Canada. Fortunately, we can now order specific brands online if we can't convince our local grocer or health food store to carry the ones we like.

HERE ARE SOME THAT I LIKE:

#1 Seitenbacher Vegetarian Vegetable Broth and Seasoning Powder, a German brand which is widely distributed in the USA and in Europe. It is the #1 choice for the recipes in this book. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it in Canada. But Americans can order it online here, or here, and also from amazon.com

Seitenbacher is not organic, but it's MSG-free and "All natural; Vegan; No Gelatine; No Dairy; No Meat; No Eggs; No Artificial Flavor Enhancer; Fat Free; Cholesterol Free; Gluten Free; No Oil".

(If you are not sensitive to MSG, Knorr Vegetable Broth Powder tastes very similar to Seitenbacher, and is widely available.)

#2: An excellent homemade alternative is my own broth powder mix. It's easy and cheap to make and has excellent flavor--but you must use 2 teaspoons for each cup of water.

#3: Another excellent product--but not a powder: Superior Touch "Better than Bouillon" "No Chicken Vegan Base" (a paste) is delicious (and it's what I used in the soup above).

Ask your health food store or grocery store to carry it. Superior Touch also has a "No Beef Vegan Base", which is good, and a "Vegetable Base", which also comes in an organic variety, but I wasn't impressed with the Vegetable Base. (Unfortunately, their "Mushroom Base" contains dairy products.)

#4: I like McCormick "Gourmet All-Vegetable Bouillon Cubes", which appear only to be sold in Canada (at all major grocery stores), but it is actually the same as product an Australian kosher brand, Massel (called "Massel Ultracubes"). Both brands label their product "Chicken", "Beef", or "Vegetable", but they are all totally vegan.

Massel also makes broth powder, but I have never been able to locate it in Canada.

Massel and McCormick broth products contain no trans-fats, no MSG, and have good flavor, with not too much salt. Massel is sold in the USA--look here for retailers.

For 1 cup of broth , use 1 cup water and add:
* 1 teaspoon Seitenbacher (or Knorr or Massel) vegetarian broth powder
* OR 2 teaspoons Bryanna's Homemade Broth Powder (see http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/02/homemade-veggie-broth-powder-big-batch.html )
* OR 1 teaspoon Superior Touch "Better than Bouillon" Vegan No-Chicken Base
* OR 1/2 a cube Massel Ultracubes or McCormick Vegetarian "Chicken" Bouillon Cubes

Enjoy!

VEGAN MOFO AND HOMEY NEW VEGAN MAC'N'CHEEZE RECIPE

Okay, I was late finding out about Vegan MoFo (Vegan Month of Food). I admit it. I'm embarrassed. My excuse is being buried in a manuscript and not have much time to blog-surf. But, I'm only a day late! I'm hoping to post something every weekday, as PPK suggests. (I will be away this weekend, in any case, next weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, and the NEXT weekend I'll have company, so weekends are pretty much out this month!)



The weather changed abruptly today and we have dark clouds, wind and rain (not really that cold, though). This makes my thoughts turn to homey vegan comfort food. What could be more homey than mac'n'cheese (or cheeze)?

I'm always trying to improve on my vegan macaroni and cheese recipe. I think I have two different recipes published in books, and probably more online somewhere. This latest is creamy and yummy, and it can be be made both soy-free and gluten-free, if need be. It's good both plain and with additions, such as the broccoli suggested in my recipe. But why not add red peppers, vegetarian "ham", vegetarian "sausage", olives...?



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S NEW BAKED VEGAN MACARONI AND CHEEZE
Servings: 6

For a spicy version, add some canned chipotle pepper to taste and maybe some Field Roast Mexican Chipotle Sausage.


8 oz macaroni or penne (can be whole wheat; can be gluten-free)

Cooked Mixture for Sauce:
1 1/2 cups plain (original) nondairy milk
1/2 cup extra-firm silken tofu
OR (for soy-free) 1/4 cup raw cashews plus 1/4 cup more nondairy milk (soak the cashews in hot water for 5 minutes and drain before blending)
1/4 cup unbleached white flour OR, for gluten-free, white rice flour (or mochiko-- sweet rice flour)
1 tsp chicken-style vegetarian broth powder or paste
1 tsp salt

Additional Ingredients for Sauce:
1 cup water
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper (from a jar, rinsed)
1 1/2 Tbs miso (not the dark variety)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder or granules
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Optional:
8 to 16 oz broccoli or cauliflower flowerettes, sliced into thin slices and blanched (partially-cooked)

Topping:
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (panko is fine; can be gluten-free bread or fine cracker crumbs)
oil from a pump-sprayer

Boil the macaroni in lots of salted water until tender, but al dente. Drain. (If you are using the broccoli, prepare that as directed and set aside.)

While the macaroni cooks, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix the "Cooked Mixture for Sauce" ingredients in a blender and process until very smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium, heavy saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until it thickens and boils; turn down and simmer on low for a few minutes.

MICROWAVE OPTION: Pour the mixture a 1 qt. microwave-safe bowl measuring pitcher. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Whisk. Microwave for 2 more minutes. Whisk. Microwave for 2 minutes more.

Rinse out the blender.

Place the "Additional Ingredients for Sauce" into the blender. Add the Cooked Mixture to the blender. Process until very smooth.

In a large bowl, mix the cooked macaroni (and broccoli, if using) and the sauce together well. (It will seem like you have too much sauce, but, don't worry, the pasta will soak it up!) Scoop the mixture into a "buttered" (with Earth Balance) 2 qt. casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the breadcrumbs and spray lightly with oil from a spray-pump. Bake for about 30 minutes (uncovered). Serve hot.

(Nutrition Facts were calculated using Silk soymilk, silken tofu, whole wheat macaroni, and panko, with the optional broccoli.)

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 357.8 calories; 27% calories from fat; 11.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 648.6mg sodium; 561.7mg potassium; 50.4g carbohydrates; 7.6g fiber; 2.2g sugar; 42.8g net carbs; 18.4g protein; 7.3 points.




Enjoy!