Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

Back in May, I developed a recipe for a vegan "parmesan" utilizing dried okara-- the residue or pulp leftover from making soymilk or tofu. It was not bad, but I have been wanting to improve on it. I love Galaxy vegan soy parmesan, but it is only available in Canada online at one venue that I know of and is kind of pricey, considering how much I like to use it! That's my motivation for coming up with something I really like.

So I started playing with the recipe the other day, adding ingredients I thought would improve both flavor and texture. I like to add miso to my vegan cheeses for a fermented flavor, but you can't add much to a vegan parmesan made out of a light powdery substance, such as dehydrated okara, because it will make it soggy. So, I decided to dehydrate some miso for this recipe, in order to add more flavor. Miso powder does exist, but I have never been able to find it in my area. It was easy to make in an inexpensive home food dehydrator, and the directions are in the recipe.

So, here is the improved version, and I hope you'll like it! It contains more calories, due to the almonds and sesame seeds, but I think the calories are worth it! The recipe also uses up the okara from 2 batches of soymilk-maker okara, squeezed as dry as possible in a cloth (this is important!). The recipe makes 4 cups, which makes your effort worthwhile, too!




Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S NEW AND IMPROVED OKARA PARMESAN SUBSTITUTE
Yield: 4 cups
Updated Sept. 10, 2010

This is a great way to use up okara, the residue from making soymilk. This really looks like grated cheese and tastes "cheesey" (the dried miso powder adds a fermented flavor). It shakes out easily, too. This makes quite alot , but keeps well in the refrigerator.

2 2/3 cups dried okara (about 4 cups fresh, squeezed dry in a cloth--this is the amount from 2 batches of soy milk using my new, richer soy milk recipe)
(see Cooking Tips below for how to dry okara)
1 1/3 cups blanched, slivered almonds OR 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (raw or lightly toasted)
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2/3 cup raw sesame seeds
3 tablespoons miso powder (see Cooking Tips below)
1 tablespoon garlic granules or powder
1/2 tablespoon salt

Process all of the ingredients in a dry food processor until it looks about the consistency of parmesan. You don't want a powder-- you want a little texture. You can use a DRY blender, but you'll have to watch the texture closely.



Place some in a covered container or shaker, and the rest in a ziplock bag, and keep refrigerated. (Make sure that the container is tightly closed so that no moisture gets in while in the refrigerator.)

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons): 79.0 calories; 48% calories from fat; 4.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 182.5mg sodium; 182.3mg potassium; 6.6g carbohydrates; 2.1g fiber; 0.4g sugar; 4.5g net carbs; 4.6g protein; 1.5 points.

COOKING TIPS
DRYING OKARA:
If you have a large amount of okara, you can use a food dehydrator (use fruit-leather liners, or make a liner with cooking parchment), or spread it on cookie sheets and set it in the oven at its lowest temperature, with the oven door cracked open a little to let out moisture, until dry, stirring now and then.



To dry a small amount in a microwave oven:

Get a microwave-safe plate, or use the carousel in your microwave. Line it with two sheets of paper toweling (this will absorb the moisture), and top that with a piece of cooking parchment cut to fit (this will keep the okara from sticking as it dries). Spread the okara evenly on that, breaking up clumps as much as possible. Leave a space in the center empty (it burns easily in the center of the plate).

Microwave at half power (#5) in 5 minutes increments, stirring after each one, until dried. I took away the paper toweling after the first 5 minutes because it was quite wet, and replaced it with new paper toweling.

Let it cool thoroughly before using or storing (in zip-lock bags).

DRIED MISO POWDER:

This company makes freeze-dried miso powder. You may be able to find miso powder in a Japanese or Asian grocery store-- I'll have a look next time I have a chance. I wasn't going off-island when I made this recipe, so I made some myself.

HOMEMADE MISO POWDER:
(400g or 14 oz. of miso make about 2 cups of powdered miso.)

You might as well make a whole bunch of miso powder at one go-- it keeps well if very dry and airtight.

I used a cheap little home food dehydrator with 2 trays. You could probably use the oven or microwave methods, as well. Check the dried okara notes above for directions. You'll have to dry the miso in small "dabs".


This is the whole 400 g carton of miso on one tray.

When the miso is shrunken and partially dried, break it up a bit more. I broke it up in the Vita-Mix until it was almost powdery-- more granulated, really-- and ten spread it back on the drying tray. Continue drying until you feel no moisture.

When it is dried and cooled off, grind it in a DRY Vita-Mix or other heavy-duty blender, or in small amounts in a DRY electric coffee/spice mill until powdery. If there are any hard resistant bits which refused to be pulverized, you can sift them off. Store in a tight jar or zip-lock bag.



Cheers!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, MY AMERICAN FRIENDS!

Full plates!

                     Silky-smooth, creamy low-fat Hummus

RECIPE AND INFO UPDATED JULY 7, 2017

Note:
I spread a little very good extra-virgin olive oil on the top of the hummus, but you can omit that if you wish. (There is no olive oil in the hummus itself.) I like to serve hummus like this in the Middle Eastern fashion, spread out on a plate, shallow pasta bowl, or platter-- it's easier to share that way!

Since I read about the study that showed positive blood sugar responses to sourdough breads (good news for diabetics, folks with heart disease and those of us trying to lose weight-- read more about this here), I've been refreshing my starters and refining my old sourdough recipes (some of which need "veganizing).

I used to make sourdough pancakes regularly for my family. They were our favorite pancakes. Here is my newly-revised vegan version, using whole grain flours. It turned out beautifully! BTW, sourdough pancakes have a slightly different texture from regular pancakes-- fluffy, but a little more "bready". And, of course, with that sourdough tang that I love.

If you are unfamiliar with sourdough, see this post.  My San Francisco starter, how to make it vegan and how to use and care for it is at that link.  I actually have two vegan sourdough starters-- both are very reliable. I also use the "Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter", which I treat the same way. You can get a free (dried) starter (and it's a great story that goes with it) here. You just pay postage. (PS: I don't use the sugar and potato they call for in the instructions., and it works fine.)

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S WHOLE GRAIN VEGAN SOURDOUGH PANCAKES
Servings: 4 (multiply as needed)

These are so tasty! You can get a free starter (and it's a great story that goes with it!) here. (PS: I don't use the sugar and potato they call for in the starter.) I like this combination of flours, but feel free to experiment. See this post for sourdough vegan waffles and crepes.

Sourdough Sponge:
2 cups warm water
1 cup fresh, bubbly sourdough starter (I use a starter made with white unbleached flour)
1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour (or you can grind small amounts of short grain brown rice to a powder in a dry coffee/spice mill)
1/2 cup corn flour (or you can grind small amounts of yellow cornmeal to a powder in a dry coffee/spice mill)

Add in morning:
1 Tbs oil
2 Tbs organic sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

Last Addition:
2 Tbs Ener-G Egg Replacer or Orgran No-Egg powder beaten with
1/4 cup water (beat with an immersion [stick] blender until like softly-beaten egg whites)
1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 T. warm water

THE NIGHT BEFORE: mix together in a large bowl: the water, and sourdough starter until dissolved. Then stir in all of the flours (and/or grains) you are using.

The batter will be quite thick. Cover well and let sit in a warm place overnight. It should be thinner and bubbly in the morning. Make sure your bowl is big enough for the batter to rise.

The sponge in the morning

IN THE MORNING: stir in the oil, sugar, salt and baking powder into the batter.

Gently fold in the beaten egg replacer and the dissolved baking soda.

Let the batter rise up while you heat a large, heavy cast iron skillet or griddle, or nonstick skillet or griddle. (Lightly oil, if necessary.)

The batter, ready to cook

Cook as for ordinary pancakes but make small pancakes, at medium-high heat, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake (I have a small gravy ladle that holds just the right amount). There will be bubbles in the top of the pancakes when they are ready to turn.


The bubbles start to form almost immediately

Ready to flip over

Eat immediately with vegan butter and maple syrup, OR, for a lower fat and lower calorie treat, use tofu sour creme (homemade recipe here) or cashew sour creme, or  non-dairy yogurt with applesauce or another homemade fruit sauce, or a low-sugar jam, warmed up.

Yield: makes 30-36 small pancakes or about 24 larger ones

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 398.4 calories; 11% calories from fat; 5.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 791.9mg sodium; 311.2mg potassium; 80.3g carbohydrates; 9.2g fiber; 6.8g sugar; 71.1g net carbs; 10.6g protein; 7.6 points.

VARIATIONS: (total flour for this recipe: 2 1/2 cups)

1.) Use 2 c. buckwheat flour and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour
2.) Use 1 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour and 3/4 c. fine bulgur wheat.
3.) For liquid, use 1 c. pureed winter squash or pumpkin, mixed with 1 and 1/2 c. water
4.) Use 1 c. quick oats and 1 and 1/2 c. unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
5.) Use 1 c. cornmeal and 1 and 1/2 c.unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour
6.) Sprinkle pancakes before turning over with well-drained blueberries or other fruit.

Enjoy!!

                              I had a craving for tomato soup today.

This soup reminds us of the comforting canned tomato soup most of us grew up with, but with vastly superior flavor and texture. The recipe I started with was published in the September 2008 Cook's Illustrated magazine, BUT I mistakenly used one 28 oz. can of tomatoes instead of two. I didn't discover my mistake until after three of us devoured the whole pot of soup! And, I, of course, had veganized it, used Italian bread instead of white sandwich bread, and made a few changes to the seasoning and technique. (As I mentioned below, gluten-free bread would probably work in this recipe, too.) (Nov. 2012: I have revised the technique a bit, making it a bit simpler to make.) 

But we loved it with the mistake and the changes. The bread and olive oil blend with the tomatoes to make an exceptionally silky texture. Bread has been used as a thickener for soups, sauces and stews since the time of the ancient Greeks, but is rarely used these days. I think the technique should be revived.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN VERSION OF CREAMLESS CREAMY TOMATO SOUP (SF, could be GF)    Updated November 11, 2012
Servings: 4/ Yield: about 4 1/2 cups

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped medium onion
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can good quality whole peeled plum tomatoes packed in juice (unsalted)
2 cups chicken-style veggie broth (I recommend Better than Bouillon No-Chicken Broth Base) 
3 large slices commercial Italian-type bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces OR 1 cup white panko (dry Japanese bread crumbs) soaked with 1/4 cup water (fluff with a fork)
(NOTE: I haven't tried this with a gluten-free bread, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or to taste-- it depends on your tomatoes)
2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry OR 1/4 cup white wine (can be non-alcoholic)
1 teaspoon salt (less if you use salted tomatoes, in which case, salt to taste)
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Garnish:
Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

MICROWAVE OPTION: Place the olive oil, onions, garlic, and bay leaf in a covered microwave-safe casserole and microwave on 100% power for 5 minutes. Scrape into a heavy soup pot and place over medium-high heat.

Which ever way you cooked the onions, etc., stir the tomatoes and their juice into the pot. Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes (be careful-- they squirt!) until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in the broth, bread and sugar and bring the mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, which takes about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Transfer the mixture to a large blender or Vita-Mix. (CAUTION! Take the middle cap out of the lid in order to to allow hot steam to escape; cover the lid loosely with a folded tea towel while you blend.) (NOTE: Unless you have a more industrial-type immersion/stick blender, I don't think it will do the job as well as a blender.) Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse out the pot and return the blended mixture to the pot. Stir in the wine. Return soup to boil, add salt, and season to taste with freshly-ground black pepper. Taste to see if it needs any more salt or sugar. Serve, garnished as suggested above, in individual bowls.

 Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 229.4 calories; 53% calories from fat; 14.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 890.7mg sodium; 541.5mg potassium; 24.1g carbohydrates; 2.6g fiber; 14.5g sugar; 21.4g net carbs; 3.3g protein; 5.2 points.

Enjoy!!

An experiment we loved, made with some of the apple bounty from my last post.

Printable Recipe (includes "Amaretti Crumbs" recipe

BRYANNA'S ROASTED APPLESAUCE/AMARETTI VEGAN GELATO
Makes 8/ 1/2-cup servings.
This is really delicious. The brown rice syrup adds a faintly caramel-like flavor that makes the ice cream seem very rich.

2 1/3 cup plain soy milk, or almond milk (such as Almond Breeze Original) or So Delicious Coconut Beverage, Original
1/2 cup raw cashews or cashew pieces, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes and drained
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1/2 cup light-colored granulated organic sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon Instant Clear-Jel (See about this product and where to get it at this post ) OR 1/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum or Guar gum

ADDITIONS:
1/2 cup Vegan Amaretti Crumbs (see recipe in Cooking Tips) OR, you can simply use chopped toasted almonds instead
1/2 cup Chunky Roasted Applesauce (pictures at end of post)

Place the milk into a blender along with the soaked, drained cashews, and blend until VERY smooth and frothy (make sure that it is not grainy at all).

Mix all of the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the Additions, into this mixture and blend again until it is VERY smooth.

Chill the gelato mixture thoroughly, and then freeze according to directions for your ice cream machine. Add the Amaretti Crumbs 30 seconds before stopping the machine. Remove the dasher and add the applesauce to the center. Using a small spatula, swirl the applesauce roughly through the ice cream.

Scoop into a quart container, cover and freeze until hard before serving.

Servings: 8
Yield: 1 quart

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 1/2 cup): 273.7 calories; 18% calories from fat; 5.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 131.1mg sodium; 182.5mg potassium; 55.8g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 45.0g sugar; 54.7g net carbs; 5.0g protein; 5.8 points.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA’S "AMARETTI" CRUMBS (SOY-FREE)
Makes 2 and 1/2 cups
From my book "Nonna's Italian Kitchen".

Italians use crumbled amaretti cookies (almond macaroons) in many desserts (and even in a few savory dishes with Renaissance roots). Since macaroons are made with eggs, we can't use packaged cookies for this purpose.

You can use this easy recipe when you need amaretti crumbs, and do away with the need to have baked amaretti on hand.

Nuts and breadcrumbs can be quickly toasted in your microwave, if you like.. You can grind them easily and quickly in a small electric spice or coffee grinder, or mini-chopper.

1 c. lightly toasted ground almonds
1 c. toasted white or sweet bread crumbs
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. pure almond extract

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix all of the ingredients together well. Spread the mixture on 2 cookie sheets and place in the heated oven.

Toast the mixture for about 15 minutes or until it has dried out a bit, but is still slightly chewy. Cool the mixture, then freeze in rigid plastic containers.

Chunky Roasted Applesauce after 45 minutes in the oven:


Chunky Roasted Applesauce after broiling, before adding sugar:

Enjoy!!

 Organic apples from a friend's backyard

It has been a great apple year and the other day a friend gave me a huge bagful of them. I just got around to dealing with most of them today and only have that bowlful left to use up before the week is out.

Of course, I made a pie-- a freeform type with a few raisins added.

And I froze some extra pie fillings:

Just pile each portion of filling in a foil-lined cake or pie pan, freeze it solid, and then take away the pans and pop the foil packages into plastic bags. This way, you have just the right amount and shape to fit into your pie crust.

According to The Perfect Pie by Susan G. Purdy:

"To bake, line a pie plate with a layer of thawed frozen pastry (or fresh--BCG), brush with... fruit preserves. Unwrap the frozen fruit packet (do not thaw) and set it in the pastry. Cut steam vents in the rolled-out top crust. Moisten the edges of the lower crust, then cover the pie with its top crust. Fold the edges of the top crust over the lower one and pinch to seal. Mold the edge into a raised rim and flute... (Note from BCG: If you like a shiny crust, brush it with soy or nut milk-- sprinkle with sugar if desired.)

Bake in the lower third of a preheated 425 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F, raise the pie to the center of the oven, and cover the pastry edges with a foil if they seem to be browning too fast. Continue baking for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit tender. Serve warm for best texture and flavor."

Then I made two kinds of applesauce:

I made a smooth pink applesauce (see how I make this without having to peel, pit or core the apples on this blog post). I made it pink by adding 2 cups of crabapple sauce that I had in the freezer to the cooked, pureed apples. I just added a little unbleached sugar to taste-- it's tangier than usual with the crabapple. Very refreshing and pretty!

The second type is a chunky roasted applesauce. I don't really have a recipe for this, but here's what you do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Clean and core the apples and cut into chunks no bigger than 1". I don't peel them, since they are organic-- just cut out any bad spots. Get a large shallow roasting pan (or pans) and fill the bottom with about 1/4" of water. Add a splash of lemon juice and a little unbleached sugar. Pile in the apples no more than 2" deep. Toss with the liquid. Cover the pan(s) with foil and cook for about 45 minutes. Remove the foil. Place under the broiler (about 1 foot below the broiler element) in order to cook down the remaining liquid and char the apples a little. Watch them! Printable Recipe

Remove from the oven and add brown sugar to taste-- not too much! Delicious! (See pictures of roasting process at this post.)

MORE APPLE RECIPES FROM THIS BLOG (Updated Nov. 1, 2015):
(See more here:
http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.ca/2009/10/using-up-fall-bounty-apples-and-pears.html )

Massaged Kale Salad w/ Red Cabbage, Apples, Pecans & Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
Oat Groats w/ Chanterelle Mushrooms & Apples in Creamy Wine Sauce
Crispy Marinated Tofu/Breast of Tofu with Apples & Onions in Creamy White Wine Sauce Whole Grain Apple-Almond Cake
Rhubarb and Apple Crisp with Mint and Orange
Irish Apple Bread Pudding
Apple and Cranberry Oat Crisp
Sherried Autumnal Apple and Potato Stew

The Denman Is. Fall foliage on the road where we take our walks

Enjoy the fruits of Fall!