VEGAN BARBECUE FOR JULY 1ST AND 4TH

Happy Canada Day (July 1st), and Happy 4th of July! (I can celebrate both, as a dual citizen!) Both holidays are often celebrated with a barbecue. What can a vegan serve (or bring) that will knock the socks off the omnis? Read on! I'm sharing an idea for a vegan kebab, two homemade killer barbecue sauces, and a yummy vegan burger.



Breast of Tofu Kebabs with peppers, mushrooms and onion. I had soaked the extra-firm tofu cubes in the Breast of Tofu marinade for several days, anticipating a meal such as this. I just threaded them on skewers with the veggies, slathered on my Bourbon BBQ Sauce (see recipe below) and grilled them, serving them on a bed of Basmati rice. (Or, alternately, you could serve them in some sort of flatbread, such as pita.)

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S SO GOOD (AND EASY) BOURBON BARBECUE SAUCE
Yield: About 3 1/4 cups
Jack Daniels is vegan, by the way!

2 cups ketchup (can be organic kind)
1/2 cup molasses (your favorite)
1/3 cup bourbon whiskey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbs vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs Indonesian or Chinese or Thai chile sauce (no fish)
2 Tbs cider vinegar
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic granules
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. liquid smoke

Mix all of the ingredients together in a pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Place in a covered jar and refrigerate.

Servings: 13

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup): 96.1 calories; 2% calories from fat; 0.4g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 92.9mg sodium; 399.1mg potassium; 21.0g carbohydrates; 0.6g fiber; 15.9g sugar; 20.4g net carbs; 0.9g protein; 1.8 points.

© Bryanna Clark Grogan 2005

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PS: Sorry about the poor quality of the pics-- used an old camera.

Now, if you are in the mood for burgers, here's a good one:


If you prefer to serve these on a bun, check out the homemade vegan bun recipes at this blog post.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S MUSHROOM-TEMPEH BURGERS
Makes 9 burgers

DH ordinarily dislikes tempeh, but he loves these. They are moist and tasty. I usually double this recipe and freeze leftovers. I use a food processor and/or mini-chopper to mince everything finely, which saves alot of time. The pre-steaming of the burgers cooks the gluten and keeps the burgers moist. After they are cool they can be browned in a non-stick pan or a flat sandwich grill. I have been working on this recipe off and on for a few years, and it first appeared in my newsletter, the Vegan Feast.

TVP Mixture:
1 cup textured soy protein (TVP) granules
7/8 cup boiling water mixed with a vegetarian broth cube, powder or paste for 1 c. broth
1 Tbs soy sauce

Steam-Fried Mixture:
1/2 Tbs olive oil or roasted (Asian) sesame oil
water, broth or dry sherry for steam-frying, if necessary
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
6 oz raw mushrooms, minced finely
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs yeast extract (Marmite, Vegemite, etc.) OR 2 T. red or dark miso
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Tempeh:
8 oz tempeh (I prefer the milder 5 or 7 grain tempeh), thawed and crumbled
1 Tbs soy sauce

Additional Ingredients:
1 cup well-cooked cooked bulgur wheat (preferably fine or medium or #1 or 2)
(See Cooking Tip below)
1/2 tsp EACH dried thyme and marjoram, or other herbs or spices that you like
1/3 cup pure gluten flour (Vital wheat gluten)
1/2-1 tsp liquid smoke (OPTIONAL)

1.) In a large bowl, mix the textured soy protein with the boiling water, broth cube, and 1 T. soy sauce. Let stand while you prepare the other ingredients.

NOTE: FOR THE STEAM-FRIED MIXTURE, I mince the garlic in a food processor, then add the onion, chunked and mince it well. After I empty that out, I mince the halved mushrooms in the same processor container-- you don't need to wash it first.

2.) STEAM-FRYING
Stove-Top Option: Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic til the onion starts to soften, adding a bit of water, broth or sherry as needed to keep the mixture from sticking.

Add the mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in the tomato paste and Marmite or miso, and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet. Place in freezer to cool quickly for a few minutes.

Microwave option: This saves time and effort, so it's the one I use. Place the onions and garlic in a microwave-safe pie with the oil, and cover. Microwave 5 minutes. Stir in the minced mushrooms and microwave 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and Marmite or miso, and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet. Place in freezer to cool quickly for a few minutes.

3.) Crumble the tempeh into a bowl and stir in the 1 T. soy sauce. Mash it with the tines of a fork, mixing well.

4.) Add the bulgur, herbs, and optional liquid smoke, if using, to the soaked TVP mixture. Mix in the tempeh and the cooled sautéed mushroom mixture. Mix well.

5.) When the mixture is on the cool side (you can spread it on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer for a few minutes for a quick cool-down), add the gluten flour (don't add it to a hot mixture, or it will be” stringy"). Mix well again.

6.) Divide the mixture into 9 / 1/2-cup balls and pat into patties (4" across) with wet hands. I pat them down on a parchment-covered cookie sheet to get an even shape.



7.) Steam over simmering water for 20 minutes. (See photos of steaming arrangements below. I line the steamer with cooking parchment, with holes poked in it with a bamboo skewer.) Place on cookie sheets and chill thoroughly before stacking with sheets of waxed paper in between and refrigerating or freezing in a rigid plastic container with a tight lid.






The steamed burgers before they are browned.

8.) To brown, use a non-stick pan with a bit of olive or toasted sesame oil, or a flat nonstick sandwich grill. Serve on buns, or on their own with a favorite sauce or gravy.

Serves 9

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 138.9 calories; 22% calories from fat; 3.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 221.3mg sodium; 329.5mg potassium; 13.4g carbohydrates; 1.5g fiber; 1.4g sugar; 14.7g protein, 2.8 points.

Cooking Tip:

To cook bulgur wheat-- use a fine or medium grain bulgur. Bring 1 cup bulgur to a boil in a small saucepan with 2 cups water and a little salt. Turn down to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Use leftovers for a dinner grain side dish, like rice.
© Bryanna Clark Grogan; Jul/Aug/Srep 06 Vegan Feast

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Now, if you want a delicious barbecue sauce on your burger, try this one:



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S SOUTH CAROLINA GOLD BBQ SAUCE

I didn't know about this sauce until I read a mystery novel by Kathy Reichs (I'm a life-long and avid mystery novel reader), whose character resides both in South Carolina and Montreal. She mentioned bringing the precious golden mustard-based BBQ sauce to Montreal with her. That intrigued me. I found many recipes-- all different. This is the one I worked out for myself. I have nothing to compare it with (no one's ever heard of it in my neck of the woods!), but everyone who tastes it goes crazy over it!

NOTE: The character in the show "Bones" is supposed to be taken from the one in Ms. Reichs' novels, but, trust me, that show bears no resemblance to the books!!

1 Tbs roasted (Asian) sesame oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 jar (8 oz. or 250 mg) smooth Dijon mustard
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup veggie broth
1 1/2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce (or more to taste)
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried crumbled thyme
freshly-ground black pepper to taste


Heat the sesame oil in a small skillet and sauté the onions, stirring frequently, over medium heat until softened.

Combine all the other ingredients except the bay leaf in a medium saucepan with a whisk. Stir n the onions and add the bay leaf. Bring to boil. Turn down and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf. Pour into a jar, cover and refrigerate.



Servings: 10
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 1/4-cup serving): 108.3 calories; 20% calories from fat; 2.6g total fat; 0.1mg cholesterol; 481.6mg sodium; 146.8mg potassium; 21.3g carbohydrates; 1.0g fiber; 16.3g sugar; 20.2g net carbs; 1.6g protein; 2.2 points.

© Bryanna Clark Grogan; The Vegan Feast/ Aug/Sept 05

Enjoy the holidays!

FIELD ROAST COOKBOOK STILL IN PROGRESS-- LATEST SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS

The Field Roast cookbook I have been working on with the owner/founder, David Lee, from Seattle, is taking longer than expected, but it's 's coming along! This week I have not had alot of time for cooking or writing recipes (painting kitchen cupboards!), so here are some "teaser" pictures of two of my latest Field Roast Grain Meatloaves, a South African version and an Indian-style version:

This is my Field Roast Bobotie, a fruity, spicy South African-style grain meatloaf, which turned out really well. I have been veganizing this recipe for years, as my stepsons' late mother was from South Africa. The origins of Bobotie (you can listen to the pronunciation of this word here) can be traced back to the influence of the Cape Malay people on South African culture.

A little history about this dish: "The first group of Malaysian state prisoners landed on the shores of South Africa from Java and the neighboring Indonesian islands in the late 1600's. Many more followed in the years 1727 until 1749. Not only did this proud and attractive people bring with them the Moslem faith and fine architecture, they also brought with them a unique cookery style, introducing exciting mixtures of pungent spices that has had a heady influence on traditional South African cuisine. Indeed, the Malay-Portuguese words such as bobotie (a curried ground beef and egg custard dish), sosatie (kebabs marinated in a curry mixture) and bredie (slowly cooked stews rich in meat, tomatoes and spices) are integral in our cookery vocabulary." Source

Earlier this week I made an Indian-style version of the Field Roast Grain Meatloaf:


I served it with spicy Indian-style roasted red potatoes, Indian-style braised kubocha squash, and braised greens with garlic and chile. I glazed the loaf with a spicy tamarind-ketchup sauce, and served it with mango and ginger chutney.

I also made some Indian-style kofta kebabs and patties with the grain meatloaf mixture and they were both delicious!


Forming the koftas on bamboo skewers


The koftas before steaming


The koftas after steaming


The patties before steaming


Steaming the grain meatloaf and the patties in an electric skillet (not shown is the dome lid)


The browned kofta kebabs on spicy quinoa and bulgur with peas, with masala cauliflower.

I promise you that this book will be worth the wait!!

PS: see more pictures of recipes that will be in the book (including grain meat loaves and roasts, sausages, cutlets, grain meatballs) at the following links:

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2009/05/farinata-or-faina-italian-chickpea.html

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/10/vegan-mofo-down-home-stretch-some.html

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/crabapples-forgotten-fruit.html

(scroll way down to the bottom of this post to see the photo of the rolled, stuffed grain meatloaf)

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/transitioning-between-books-and-new.html

http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-make-fluffy-buttery-no-fat-vegan.html

All the best,

GREENS GALORE! FIBER RICH, LOWER-FAT GUACAMOLE, WITH GREENS-STUFFED MASA CREPES

Italian kale from our garden patch

I have to tell you that DH and I are NOT gardeners! We both don't like gardening much (I'm almost afraid to admit that around here!), and our soil is very rocky, but DH has made a fertile little patch and then we grow some hot-weather plants in pots on our back deck-- enough to keep us in fresh greens, herbs, and tomatoes for the summer and fall, with a few things in the freezer.

Below are some photos of our VERY modest little veggie patch, and potted plants on out back deck.




A view of some of the plants on the deck (tomatoes, peppers, basil, parsley, etc.)


Basil!

More greens:
Beets

Chard

Russian kale

While I'm at it, here are some views of the woods and greenery around our house:

View from the back deck


View from the living room window

**Back to the eating sort of greenery-- I picked a big bowl of mixed greens the other day and at the same time made a batch of my lower-fat guacamole, and then I had to figure out something to do with them that didn't involve tortillas or tortilla chips (which I didn't have on hand). So below is what I came up with, and it was good!

Below that are some family photos.:)



Printable Recipe (including crepe recipe)

BRYANNA'S MASA CREPES WITH GREEN FILLING, TOPPED WITH BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA AND LOWER-FAT GUCAMOLE
Servings: 5
Yield: 10 filled crepes

Have already made:
10 Whole Grain Masa Harina Crepes (see recipe below)
1 recipe Low-Fat Fiber-Rich Veggie Guacamole (see recipe below)
1 1/4 cups Bryanna's Cheddary Spread

Greens for Filling:
2 quarts cleaned, trimmed and sliced fresh greens, such as chard and kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Black Bean and Corn Salsa:
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup rinsed and drained canned sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup hot, low-sodium, no-sugar chunky tomato salsa, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or Italian parsley

In a large non-stick skillet, or stirfry pan, heat the oil with the garlic and chile flakes. When the garlic starts to turn golden, add several handfuls of the greens, salt lightly, and stir around over high heat until they wilt down. Add another few handfuls of greens, some salt and stir again until they wilt. Repeat this procedure until all the greens are just cooked through. Add the pepper to taste. Set aside

Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

Place about 3-4 tablespoons of the cooked greens down the center of each crepe. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the Cheddary Spread, in dabs, and roll up the crepe. Place the filled crepes in one layer in a shallow baking pan lined with cooking parchment. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes, or just until hot and slightly puffy.

While the crepes bake, combine the ingredients for the Black Bean and Corn Salsa and adjust for taste (more salsa for more heat, some lemon or lime juice for more sour, etc.).

Top each serving with some of the Black Bean and Corn Salsa and a good dollop of the Guacamole. Add a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 392.7 calories; 21% calories from fat; 10.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 1032.8mg sodium; 1387.3mg potassium; 63.1g carbohydrates; 14.8g fiber; 7.3g sugar; 48.3g net carbs; 18.6g protein; 7.9 points.



















BRYANNA'S LOW-FAT WHOLE GRAIN MASA HARINA CREPES
Servings: 15
Yield: 15 crepes

Masa harina is the special corn flour used to make tortillas. It is available in most North American supermarkets and in Latin American grocery stores, or online (amazon carries it). Plain corn flour is NOT the same as masa corn flour. Masa has a different, and very distinctive, taste. Masa harina ("harina" means flour) is made from corn that is processed with lime (the mineral), which gives it a particular flavor and texture. It is used in the making of corn tortillas. Hominy corn is made in much the same way as nixtamal (fresh masa paste) and masa harina, but the kernels are left whole, or dried and cracked for grits.

2 1/4 cups nondairy milk
2/3 cup water
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (do not substitute ordinary whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup masa harina (tortilla corn flour-- see note in text)
3/4 cup extra-firm silken tofu
1/3 cup chickpea flour (besan) or soy flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Process all of the ingredients ingredients in a blender until very smooth. You do not need to "rest" the batter before cooking, as you do with egg crepes.

Heat a good nonstick 8" skillet (a shallow crepe skillet is the best, if you have one) over medium-high heat. Use 3-4 tablespoons of batter per crepe (stirring the batter before you make each crepe), rolling and tilting the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Cover the pan and cook for a few seconds, or until the top looks dry. Carefully loosen the crepe with a very thin plastic spatula . Stack the cooked crepes on a plate and cover them with a clean napkin. (These crepes are quite tender and it is difficult to flip them over-- with this method of cooking, you don't have to.)

Either fill the crepes right away and serve as directed below, or let them cool and place in a plastic bag or rigid container (with pieces of waxed paper in between each crepe), and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze them for future use (thaw thoroughly before filling).

To assemble, heat, and serve the crepes:
Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the Filling down the center of each crepe and roll up. Place the filled crepes in one layer in shallow baking pans lined with cooking parchment. Cover the pans with foil and bake at 400 °F for 10-15 minutes, or just until hot and slightly puffy. Top each serving with your desired sauce or garnish and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per crepe): 64.6 calories; 10% calories from fat; 0.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 149.8mg sodium; 131.1mg potassium; 12.1g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 2.0g sugar; 11.0g net carbs; 3.0g protein; 1.1 points.




BRYANNA’S LOWER-FAT, FIBER-RICH VEGGIE "GUACAMOLE"
Servings: 8
Yield: 2 cups



This recipe is from my book "The Fiber for Life Cookbook". Born and raised in California, I love avocados, but their high fat content makes them an occasional treat. The following easy bean mixture (a variation of the recipe in my first cookbook, "The Almost No Fat Cookbook") makes a very tasty alternative. Over the years, I experimented with baby peas and also with edamamé (green soybeans), but this combination is the best, in my opinion. The addition of one avocado really does the trick! And, a bonus-- this mixture does not turn brown on top!

NOTE: You need a food processor for this recipe.

5 oz whole small green beans (frozen are fine)
5 oz frozen baby lima beans (do not use cooked, dried lima beans!)
1/2 cup extra-firm SILKEN tofu
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small ripe avocado
1/4 cup chunky, spicy tomato salsa (no sugar!)

Cook the beans (both kinds, but separately) in water just to cover for about 5 minutes, or just until completely tender but not mushy.

Drain the beans and place in the food processor, along with the tofu, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin. Cut the avocado open, discard the seed and scoop all of the avocado flesh out with a spoon and into the food processor bowl.





Process until smooth, stopping the machine a couple of times, to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.



Add the salsa and pulse the mixture until it is all mixed in. Taste for seasoning (add more citrus juice, or salsa, or even hot sauce, to your taste, if you like). Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup serving): 71.8 calories; 37% calories from fat; 3.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 288.6mg sodium; 236.1mg potassium; 8.7g carbohydrates; 2.9g fiber; 0.6g sugar; 5.8g net carbs; 3.3g protein; 1.1 points.

And now, proud Nonna has to show off a little!


My granddaughter H. at her piano recital.

5-year-old grandson L., seen here playing swordsman, is now reading whole books by himself!


Here he is playing hockey for the first time:


Two more granddaughters (who are stepsisters, one already 10 and one about to be 10) got their yellow belts in tai kwon do on Saturday:

Going through their paces:



F. doing her high kick.


M. doing her high kick.

Proud moment!

F. on the far left, and M. on the far right.

Enjoy!

AN EASY, ELEGANT, LEMONY PASTA DISH

Pasta with Lemon, Asparagus, Peas and Vegan "Ham"

I posted a picture of this dish on a blog post back in May and promised to post the recipe. I'm finally getting around to it, after all of those desserts!

If you like creamy, lemony foods, you'll love this dish! And it's super easy and low-fat, as well! A perfect early summer supper dish.

Printable Recipe (sauce recipe included)
PS: I will add the nutritional info tomorrow!

BRYANNA'S PASTA WITH LEMON, ASPARAGUS, PEAS AND VEGAN "HAM"
Serves 5

1 recipe Bryanna's Quick Creamy Sauce for Pasta (I used the sherry option)
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into about 1" pieces
1 lb. wholewheat spaghetti or fettucine
2 cups slivered vegan "ham", loose-packed (such as Yves-- I used my homemade variety)
1 1/4 cups frozen petit pois (baby peas), thawed
the juice of 1 large lemon
1/3 to 1/2 cup vegan Parmesan substitute (such as Galaxy Vegan Soy Parmesan, or Parma!, or my Okara Parmesan sub, or homemade walnut-based parmesan sub)
zest of 1 large organic lemon (use a citrus zester, if possible, for long slivers of zest, as pictured)
a handful of chopped chives

Make the Quick Creamy Pasta Sauce and set aside.

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

Steam or blanch the asparagus pieces until just crisp-tender, and quickly run them under cold water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, brown the ham slivers lightly in a large nonstick skillet (use a spray of oil from a pump-sprayer, if necessary). Add the peas and asparagus to the pan and stir-fry just to heat them up. Add the lemon juice to the Quick Creamy Pasta Sauce and then add the mixture to the skillet, along with the Parmesan substitute of your choice. Stir it around over medium heat until the sauce bubbles.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet and toss with the sauce so that everything is coated and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Divide the pasta dish evenly between 5 pasta bowls or plates (preferably warm ones). Top each serving with some of the lemon zest and chives and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

PUT THE LIME IN THE COCONUT... A MEXICAN-THEMED VEGAN POTLUCK DINNER PARTY WITH VEGAN COCONUT-LIME CAKE

I know, I know-- how can I keep giving you dessert recipes when I'm on Weight Watchers?!! This time it was a vegan potluck dinner party last night, celebrating several birthdays! I have only had one slice of these desserts, by the way-- no seconds! (DH, too!)

The dinner party was held at our friends S and G's house and there were 5 vegan couples, as usual. S asked for a Mexican theme, and the weather cooperated! I made my Vegan Coconut-Lime Cake to stay with the tropical theme, and also some of my crusty no-knead bread.

It was a great evening of wonderful vegan food and wine, convivial atmosphere, laughter, and conversation. Here are some pictures, and then the cake recipe.

DH taking snapping the other photographer!


Me with E's lovely (and delicious!) Mexican Quinoa Salad

Finishing Touches:





Appreciating the crusty bread!

Friends conversing and enjoying freshly-made guacamole and tortilla chips

The Feast!

Crusty bread, vegan Chile Rellenos, Mexican Quinoa Salad, and, in foreground, Enchilada Bake--all scrumptious!


In back: Vegan Chile Rellenos, Mexican Quinoa Salad, spicy Arroz con Chipotle; In front: Enchilada Bake, and yummy Mango Salsa, and Roasted Corn Salsa















S. showing P. the raised-bed garden.


The dining pavillion-- doesn't it look like we're in the Mediterranean?


The lovely table in the dining pavillion


Toasting to good friends and good vegan food!


Preparing to cut the birthday cake

NOW, THE CAKE RECIPE:



Printable Recipe

PS: This cake is made and baked by the same method as the mocha cake at this link, so you can consult the photos there, if you like.

BRYANNA'S VEGAN COCONUT-LIME CAKE
Servings: 12

The tangy Lime Curd filling contrasts deliciously with the sweet coconut cake and icing. You have a choice between two frostings!

The Nutrition Facts are calculated using the Vegan Coconut-Lime Mock Buttercream Frosting.

Creamed Mixture:
6 tablespoons Earth Balance
1 1/2 cups granulated organic unbleached sugar
2 tablespoons water
Dry Mix:
2 5/8 cups white pastry or cake flour (2 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons) (DO NOT USE ALL-PURPOSE OR 'PLAIN" FLOUR OR THE CAKE WILL BE TOUGH!)
NOTE: To measure the flour, stir the flour in the bag or container, then spoon it out into the cup measure and level off with a knife. Do not sift or pack down.
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Wet Mix:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup lite coconut milk
1/4 cup lime juice (fresh or organic, bottled)
finely grated zest of 3 small organic limes
Assembling the cake:
1/2 recipe Vegan Lime Curd (recipe below)
1 recipe Vegan Coconut-Lime Mock "Buttercream" Frosting OR Vegan Coconut-Lime "Buttercream" (recipes below)
1 cup lightly-toasted unsweetened large flake coconut for garnish

Make the Vegan Lime Curd and refrigerate until serving time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the pans by greasing two 8" round cake pans with non-hydrgenated shortening and then coating with floure(shake excess off). If you like, you can also line the bottoms of the pans with cooking parchment cut to fit the bottom.

To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the Creamed Mixture ingredients and beat together for about 3 minutes, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides a couple of times.

Mix the Dry Mix ingredients together with a whisk in a large mixing bowl.

Mix together the Wet Mix ingredients in a pitcher or large measuring cup.

Add the Dry Mix and the Wet Mix to the Creamed Mixture in the stand mixer alternately, using about 1/3 of each mix at a time, starting with the Dry Mix. Beat on medium in the stand mixer just until mixed. Do not over-beat. NOTE: This batter is runnier than ordinary cake batter, so don't worry!

Divide equally between the two prepared cake pans. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until cakes tests done.

Cool the cake layers in the pans on racks for 10 minutes. To remove from pans, first, run a thin knife to loosen the edge of the cake layer from the pan. Then, place a wire cake rack over the top of it and with a hand on each side of the baking pan and rack, quickly invert. Gently shake or tap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon handle to help remove the cake layer . Carefully peel off the parchment liner, if you used one, and turn cake layer right-side-up to cool on the rack. Cool thoroughly before icing.

While the cake layers cool, make the Vegan Coconut-Lime Buttercream Frosting and refrigerate it. Toast the coconut flakes lightly and set aside. (You can spread them on a plate-- leave the center empty-- and microwave 2-3 minutes.)

To assemble the cake:
Place the bottom layer on a plate with a slight raised edge, with the bottom, flat side of the cake layer facing up. Spread evenly with the Lime Curd. Top with the second layer, flat side down. Ice the whole cake with the Coconut-Lime Mock Buttercream or Coconut-Lime "Buttercream". Sprinkle the cake all over, top and sides, with the toasted coconut flakes.

Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, sprinkle the top with the remaining grated lime zest.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 484.3 calories; 27% calories from fat; 15.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 289.8mg sodium; 195.3mg potassium; 85.4g carbohydrates; 1.8g fiber; 55.5g sugar; 83.6g net carbs; 3.9g protein; 10.6 points.

Cooking Tips

BRYANNA'S VEGAN LIME CURD
Servings: 12
Yield: 2 cups

This makes a lovely cake filling-quite tangy, so it contrasts with the icing. It's important to use freshly-squeezed lime juice in this recipe. Refrigerate the leftovers to spread on toast or scones, or to fill tarts.

1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated organic unbleached sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch (you can get organic cornstarch)
1/8 tsp salt
grated zest of 2 small organic limes,
6 Tbs full fat soymilk, nut milk, coconut milk, or organic nondairy creamer
2 Tbs Earth Balance (regular)

In a blend, whiz together the juice, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into a heavy saucepan with the zest. Whisk over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a full boil. Boil 1 minute, not stirring. (OR microwave in a Pyrex bowl 2 minutes, whisk, then 2 minutes more.) It should be thickened and turning clear. Remove from heat. Add soymilk or alternate and Earth Balance. Blend well with the whisk. Cool the curd, then refrigerate in a covered container. It thickens as it cools.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons = 2 tsp. serving): 129.8 calories; 13% calories from fat; 1.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 45.0mg sodium; 35.5mg potassium; 29.2g carbohydrates; 0.2g fiber; 25.5g sugar; 28.9g net carbs; 0.3g protein; 2.7 points.


BRYANNA'S COCONUT-LIME "BUTTERCREAM"
Servings: 12

This is a creamy vegan "buttercream" with a lower percentage of fat than most "buttercreams". Chill until it's time to ice the cake.

(If you use this icing, the Nutrition Facts for a 12th of the cake are as follows: 563.0 calories; 32% calories from fat; 20.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 276.8mg sodium; 197.2mg potassium; 94.2g carbohydrates; 1.8g fiber; 66.6g sugar; 92.5g net carbs; 3.3g protein; 12.6 points.)

1/4 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (NOT the stick variety or the whipped variety)
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening (such as Earth Balance brand) OR solid coconut butter
3/4 lb organic powdered sugar, sifted (have a bit more on hand in case the icing needs thickening-up)
3 tablespoons coconut cream (or thick coconut milk)
2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh or bottled organic)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
grated zest of one large organic lime

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the Earth Balance and shortening until smooth. Add 1 c. of the sugar and the remaining ingredients. Beat until creamy. It may look curdled-- don't worry! Add the remaining sugar, a little at a time, as you beat it, until it holds it shape well and you can see "trails" in it from the beaters. Refrigerate until using.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 43.9 calories; 92% calories from fat; 4.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 42.5mg sodium; 8.9mg potassium; 0.7g carbohydrates; 0.2g fiber; 0.4g sugar; 0.5g net carbs; 0.1g protein; 1.2 points.


BRYANNA'S VEGAN COCONUT-LIME MOCK BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Servings: 12

1 cup lite coconut milk
5 Tbs white unbleached flour
1/2 tsp agar powder
3 Tbs Earth Balance OR solid coconut oil
1 cup granulated organic unbleached sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 organic lime
1/8 tsp salt

Whisk milk into flour and agar in small saucepan until smooth (You can use a hand immersion blender if you wish, or even run it through the blender). Heat and stir until it boils and thickens.

MICROWAVE OPTION: Whisk the flour, agar and milk in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds, whisk, and repeat twice, or until thick.

Cool thoroughly (place in a small bowl inside of a larger bowl of cold water). It will get quite stiff-don't worry!

With an electric mixer beat the butter, sugar, vanilla lime zest, and salt until light and fluffy-- several minutes. Beat in the cooled flour paste with the electric beaters and mix until smooth and fluffy. Chill thoroughly before frosting. Use to frost any cooled cake. Keep the frosted cake refrigerated until serving time.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 118.9 calories; 31% calories from fat; 4.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 55.7mg sodium; 7.5mg potassium; 20.1g carbohydrates; 0.2g fiber; 17.0g sugar; 19.9g net carbs; 0.7g protein; 2.7 points.


Enjoy!

VEGAN LEMON MERINGUE PIE!

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN IN ON MY VEGAN FEAST OPEN COOKING FORUM!

Why another dessert so soon, when we are on the WW Core Food Plan (I have lost 14 lbs and DH has lost 17!)? It was DH's birthday on Thursday (yes, we are both Geminis!), and I promised to make him a vegan lemon meringue pie. We had invited two other couples, so I figured one pie would serve the 6 of us with no leftovers-- perfect for a little splurge! I planned to use my low-fat olive oil pastry, and try out the meringue topping made with the Angel Food Vegan Meringue Cookie Mix.



The pie was a great hit with our omni guests! They couldn't figure out how I did it without egg whites!

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA’S VEGAN LEMON MERINGUE PIE
Makes 1/ 9” pie
6 servings

Make this delicious treat the morning of the day you plan to serve it. This recipe has 3 components—crust, filling, and topping. It sounds complicated, but it really is not. Just follow the sequence as I describe it.

For the topping, you need a packet of Angel Food Vegan Meringue Cookie Mix. 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.

You also need some Instant Clear-Jel (read about it at the end of this blog post). Instant Clear-Jel isn't available on store shelves . Here in BC, Canada I had to buy 11 lbs. of it from a bakery supply company (Snowcap-- http://www.snowcap.com/), courtesy of the bakery where my husband works, but maybe a local bakery or restaurant would sell you a smaller amount. In the US, you can mail-order it from Everyday Dish Market (they will send to Canada, too, I think).

Make and assemble the pie as follows:

1.) THE CRUST:



BRYANNA'S LOW-FAT, CRISPY OLIVE OIL PASTRY
Servings: 6 Yield: 1 crust
This crispy pastry is very easy to handle and quite low in fat (about 1 tsp. of olive oil per serving).

1 cup unbleached flour (NOT pastry flour)
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup ice-cold water

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold olive oil briefly. Add the water and mix with a fork until it hold together. Handle as little as possible. Lightly form it into a ball and refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

On a lightly-floured piece of baking parchment, roll out the dough to fit a 9" pie pan. Bring the pastry up to the inside top of the pan and flute it, to make a shallow shell-- not over the edge. Trim the top edge neatly. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Place a square of foil or baking parchment over the dough and weight down with a layer of dried beans. Bake 6 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake 8-10 minutes more, or until it begins to turn golden. Remove from the oven and cool the pastry on a rack.

Reduce oven heat to 212°F. Make the Filling while the pastry cools.

2.) BRYANNA’S VEGAN LEMON MERINGUE PIE FILLING:

This filling is tangy and decidedly lemony!



Whisk together in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom:

1 c. light unbleached organic granulated sugar
2/3 c. nondairy milk
7 T. orange juice (for color)
6 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt

Stir constantly until the mixture is thickened and translucent.

Immediately whisk in:

1/2 c. fresh or organic bottled lemon juice
2 T. grated lemon zest OR 2 tsp. lemon extract
1 T. Earth Balance (vegan “buttery spread”)

Cool this for 5 minutes. Pour it into the cooled pie shell and smooth the top evenly. Set aside.

Immediately make the Meringue Topping as follows:

3.) ANGEL FOOD’S VEGAN MERINGUE TOPPING:

Have ready a packet of Angel Food Vegan Meringue Cookie Mix (see info about this mix in text at the beginning of the recipe).

1. In a stand mixer with a whip, beat together for several minutes, until starting to fluff up (you may have to stop the machine and scrape the bottom of the mixer bowl if there is any dry powder not being incorporated into the mix):

2 T. sachet A
1/4 cup water

2. Add:

3/4 cup superfine (caster) sugar (I just briefly grind granulated organic unbleached sugar in a clean, dry electric coffee/spice mill—BCG)

Whip for several minutes. Again, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure you have incorporated all of the powder and sugar.



3. Add:

2 1/2 tsp. sachet B
4 tsp. Instant Clear-Jel (See info in the text at the top of the recipe)

Whip again for several minutes, until it is really fluffy, and you can’t see any granules in it (scrape the bottom and sides as necessary to make sure all of the Clear-Jel gets mixed in).

You can see in the following photo that there are still granules of Clear-Jel showing:


Place spoonfuls of the meringue onto the surface of your pie. The mixture is very thick and sticky. It will spread out a little when baked and the tops of meringue “blobs” will smooth out somewhat, so allow for that. I used 10 spoonfuls around the edge and one larger one in the center.



Bake at 100°C (212°-215°F) for about 20 minutes.

Cool the pie on a rack and then refrigerate until serving. Serve the same day it is made.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 410.5 calories; 14% calories from fat; 6.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 348.8mg sodium; 121.8mg potassium; 86.4g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 61.1g sugar; 85.3g net carbs; 3.1g protein; 8.6 points.

Enjoy!

FRUITY TABOULI! (AND SOME INFO ABOUT BULGUR WHEAT)

This post was updated on Sunday, May 31, 2009.
NEWS FLASH! For those of you with a wheat sensitivity (NOT a gluten allergy, though), there is now a Kamut® Bulgur on the market! Check it out! It could be used in place of couscous, too. amazon.com carries a different brand of organic kamut bulgur, in coarse, medium, and fine varieties. (If you are gluten-free, substitute quinoa for bulgur and couscous. or, check out Carol Fenster's recipe for "Rice Couscous" halfway down this page. It could be used as a "bulgur rice", too!)


Kamut® Bulgur

This time of the year almost always keep a grain salad on hand for snacking. Grain salads are hearty, filling, nutritious, and, the way I make them, low in fat. Tabouli (also spelled tabbouleh or tabbouli), the lemony Levantine bulgur wheat and parsley salad, is well-known to vegans and omnis alike. Sometimes it's the only thing we vegans can eat at a potluck! But I never get tired of it.

The other day I was craving some tabouli, but I didn't have any tomatoes. I've made other versions before-- I guess you can't really call them tabouli, but I do, anyway!-- but I decided to use chopped fresh orange and mango instead of tomatoes and green peppers, and add a few kalamata olives for a savory touch. The result was delicious and I was sorry when there was no more left! (See the recipe below.)

"Also known as bulgar, bulgour, or burghul, this very versatile food, is believed to have been first eaten in the Euphrates Valley as far back as 5000 BC. Since then, it has been on the daily menu of the people of the Middle East," writes Canadian cookbook writer and historian Habeeb Salloum in his article "Bulgur, the noblest food achieved by wheat" in the Vegetarian Journal, Jan/Feb 2004. In this article he describes how his Syrian immigrant family made their own bulgur on the Saskatchewan prairie. He and his young siblings did not appreciate the hard work involved in making bulgur, but he now appreciates the value of bulgur to Middle Eastern cuisine, and even modern, Western cuisine. He writes, "Simple to prepare, this ancient food is an inexpensive, succulent, and versatile cereal. It is cooked in the same fashion as rice, which it commonly replaces, and takes about 20 minutes to prepare. It can be used in all types of dishes, and it can be employed in every course and every meal of the day."

Bulgur pilaf was one of the first dishes I learned to make as a child. I learned it from Rosie, a good friend of our family who was an Armenian refugee in California. Now I always have 3 types of bulgur in my kitchen-- coarse (#3), medium (#2), and fine (#1)-- ready to make a nourishing, quick meal at any time. (There is also an "extra-coarse" grade [#4], but I've never used that.)


L to R: fine, medium, coarse, and extra-coarse bulgur (photo by Craig Lee, SF Chronicle)

What about the nutrition in bulgur? Bulgur is made by pre-cooking whole wheat kernels, drying them, and then cracking them. That's why it cooks so quickly. According to this interesting article on bulgur, "Bulgur Wheat is a natural whole grain food in that no chemicals or additives are used in processing the product. Many of the wheat's naturally occurring vitamins and minerals permeate the kernel during cooking thus maintaining more nutritive content than other forms of processed wheat products."

This is similar to what happens with “parboiled” or “converted” rice.

This article also reports: "The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) published two posters in 1992 describing the nutritional characteristics of bulgur wheat. The first, titled 'Nutrition Scoreboard', listed bulgur wheat as the number one grain in terms of nutrition scoring. Bulgur (69 points) outpaced wheat germ (61 points), pearled barley (60 points), brown rice (45 points) and pasta (45 points). It beat oatmeal and the highly touted Wheaties cereal (both 38 points) by 31 points!

The second poster from CSPI, titled "Rough It Up", listed bulgur wheat as the third highest grain item in the Grains and Pasta category in terms of fiber content. In this category bulgur wheat beat out whole-wheat spaghetti, buckwheat pancakes, and had more than double the fiber of cous cous. The Food Research & Innovation Enterprises says "cereal foods like bulgur should be the cornerstone of our daily diet."

Cooking Light magazine published (June 2004) an excellent comparison between bulgur and brown rice, showing that a cup of bulgur has fewer calories, less fat, and more than twice the fiber of rice!"



Here's an interesting food article on bulgur wheat.

(PS: read more about Habeeb Salloum's prairie childhood and his mother's recipes in his fine book "Arab Cooking on a Saskatchewan Homestead: Recipes and Recollections". It was the Silver Winner of the 2006 Canadian Culinary Awards, Canadian Food Culture Category. It's not a vegetarian book, but there are many fine vegetarian recipes, and the cooking lore and history is fun to read. It's one of my favorite cookbooks.



Habeeb is also the author of "Classic Vegetarian Cooking From The Middle East And North Africa", a book that should be in every vegetarian kitchen, and is co-author of From the Land of Figs and Olives, another excellent cookbook. He's also written many articles for The Vegetarian Journal, and a variety of articles on Canadian, Arab and Latin- American history, travel and the culinary arts in various journals.)

Okay, enough talk! Here's the recipe!

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S FRUITY TABOULI
Servings: 5

Very refreshing!

3/4 cup medium bulgur wheat (See "News Flash!" at the very top of this post for wheat-free and gluten-free alternatives to bulgur wheat)
2 cups boiling water
2 medium oranges
1 large, ripe mango
1 1/4 cups English (European) cucumber, diced small
1 cup minced, fresh parsley
3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped green onions
8 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Oil Substitute for Salad Dressings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL:
1 tablespoon agave nectar or unbleached organic granulated sugar

Place the bulgur in a medium bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Cover and let stand for 1/2 an hour while you prepare the vegetables and Dressing.

Shred the zest of 1 of the oranges and set aside.

Peel the two oranges (seed if necessary) and separate into sections. Cut each section in half or in thirds. Set aside.

Peel and dice the mango and set aside. (Here are video and photo instructions for different ways to cut a mango.)

Dice the cucumber and set aside.

Chop the parsley (I use a dry food processor), mint, and green onions, and set aside.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Drain the bulgur in a sieve and place the drained bulgur in a serving bowl. Add the diced fruit, vegetables, and herbs. Pour the dressing over the mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Nutrition (per serving): 204.1 calories; 32% calories from fat; 7.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 298.0mg sodium; 414.9mg potassium; 33.6g carbohydrates; 7.0g fiber; 12.2g sugar; 26.6g net carbs; 4.2g protein; 3.9 points.

Enjoy!