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

Naan Pizza

I've been taking a wee break from blogging, gathering some steam, so to speak, and also gathering some inspiration.  I haven't baked much for a while and, all of a sudden, I got the baking bug.  So, I made some  flatbread dough-- a very simple one-- and put it in the refrigerator.  With it, I made some stove-top flatbreads.  We ate them plain with some garlicky olive oil and my husband took some for wraps with his work lunch-- I even used one as a wrap for a vegan hotdog for lunch today (better than a crummy commercial bun, I can tell you!).  Last night we had a friend over for dinner and I broiled freshly-made flatbreads with some vegan cheese over sauteed leeks (the green ends most people throw away), which we at as an accompaniment to our soup...mmmmmmmm!

Leek and vegan cheese flatbreads for dinner last night-- so good!

I'm still playing with this recipe-- kneaded or no-knead, for one thing; how much whole wheat flour for another; playing with stovetop vs. baked, etc., etc.. My goal is easy, versatile, low-fat, nutritious, tasty.  Stay tuned for my next blog post!  UPDATE: My 1st flatbread dough; my 2nd flatbread dough-- both no-knead doughs.

All this ruminating on bread reminded me of a  recipe I developed for my old newsletter, The Vegan Feast, a few years ago-- a sort of pizza with a base of vegan naan and an Indian-style pea/tomato sauce, topped with vegan cheese and rich-tasting browned onions. So, I offer it to you here while I make a few more flatbread discoveries for the next post.  Bon appetit!


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S FUSION NAAN PIZZAS WITH INDIAN TOMATO SAUCE WITH PEAS, ARUGULA, VEGAN MOZZA,  AND CRISPY BROWNED ONIONS 
Serves 12  Yield: 6 pizzas


4 large onions, thinly-sliced


















About 8 ounces vegan mozzarella, shredded

Hasselback Potatoes and  Vegan Coulibiac  I'd like to share a festive vegan Easter dinner from my book "World Vegan Feast" that is elegant, delicious and just a little bit different.   Here's the main course: Vegan Coulibiac or Kulebiaka (Pastry-Wrapped Russian Loaf of Rice, Mushrooms, Dill & Vegan"Salmon")

This is my vegan (and lower-fat) version of an elegant dish that dates back to Tzarist Russia, but it was also popular in France and in elegant restaurants in North America at the turn of the 20th century. Coulibiac is spectacular and delicious, but easy to make. It makes a wonderful centerpiece for a vegan Easter dinner. The "salmon" is made at least one day ahead of time and then, providing you cook the rice early in the day, it goes together quite quickly. (You can actually make the entire filling the day before, if you wish.) I use phyllo dough instead of puff pastry (to avoid all the hydrogenated fat) and  brown basmati rice for extra fiber and nutrition. I broke with tradition a little by serving it with a light vegan cream sauce laced with spring onions instead of the traditional herbed butter sauce.

To accompany the main course: Vegan Hasselback Potatoes

This recipe is adapted from one served at Stockholm's popular old Restaurant Hasselbacken. It's so easy to make and, at the same time, a good way to "fancy" up ordinary potatoes-- crispy and "buttery".

For the vegetables, keep it simple but luxurious:  Roasted or Steamed Asparagus with Hot and Creamy Orange Vinaigrette

 

The recipe for the vinaigrette is just below (it's not in "World Vegan Feast"), and you can use it on either roasted or steamed asparagus. It can be made several days ahead.

BRYANNA'S CREAMY ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
Makes about 7/8 cup

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (juice of 1 large orange)
Last, but never least, is a spectacular dessert: Vegan Lemon/Strawberry Tiramísu

FROM MY PUBLISHER, VEGAN HERITAGE PRESS (the giveaway is on their page):
February is cold and dreary in most parts of the US, and many of us just want to stay inside with bowls of steaming hot soup or warm and comforting soup. To help you stay warm and cozy, we're having a comfort food cookbook giveway! Chose from either American Vegan Kitchen by Tamasin Noyes or World Vegan Feast by Bryanna Clark Grogan.

American Vegan Kitchen is full of recipes to make vegan versions of favorite comfort food dishes found in diners, delis, and cafes across the US. Spaghetti Pie with Arrabbiata Sauce, Southern Fried Seitan and Beer-Simmered Seitan Stroganoff with Cracked Pepper are just a few of the many warm and hearty dishes in this book.

World Vegan Feast includes authentic dishes from around the world that you won’t find in other vegan cookbooks. Ugandan-Style Peanut Butter Stew, Seitan Wellington and Curried Vegan Meatloaf are some of the comforting recipes you'll find within the pages of this book. 

To enter, leave a comment at the Vegan Heritage Press blog page listing which of these two cookbooks you’d like to win.  To increase your chances of winning, in addition to leaving your initial comment, you can do any or all of the following, and leave a separate comment here for each that you do:

1. “Like” Vegan Heritage Press on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegan-Heritage-Press/120897831319698
2. Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VeganPress
3. Subscribe to Vegan Heritage Press Blog
4. Link to this giveaway on Twitter
5. Link to this giveaway on Facebook
6. Link to this giveaway on your blog

 
I confess that I really liked liverwurst in pre-vegan days. And, judging by the recipes and info online, I am not alone. I devised a recipe that tastes very much like it, in my opinion (and in the opinion of some real German testers), but involves no meat, is easy to make, can be frozen, and has a wonderful flavor. It makes good sandwiches, too and is great to have in the refrigerator during the summer, for a quick meal or an appetizer.


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S VEGAN "LIVERWURST"
From my book “World Vegan Feast” © Bryanna Clark Grogan
Servings: 16
Yield: Two 5 3/4 x 3 x 2 1/8-inch loaves

With an easy addition, this can be turned into A VEGAN "braunschweiger", which is a smoked "liverwurst". If you liked braunschweiger in the past, just add a little liquid smoke (see NOTE below) to taste, starting with a 1/2 teaspoon.

Dark sesame oil for oiling the pans
1 (12.3 oz.) box extra-firm SILKEN tofu OR 12 oz. medium-firm tofu
1 medium russet potato (about 4 oz.), scrubbed and cut into 1-inch dice (no need to remove the high-fiber peel!) 
1/2 medium onion (about 2.5 oz.), peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1/2 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
1/4 cup wholewheat flour, OR stone ground cornmeal, OR soy flour, OR chickpea flour (besan)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons warm water
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
a few gratings of freshly-ground nutmeg
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil two nonstick 5 3/4 x 3 x 2 1/8-inch fruitcake/mini loaf pans or an 8-inch round cake pan liberally with the dark sesame oil and line the bottoms with baking parchment cut to fit. Oil the parchment, too.

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (preferably) or food processor and blend until very smooth.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared nonstick 5 3/4 x 3 x 2 1/8-inch fruitcake/mini loaf pans or 8-inch round cake pan. Smooth the tops evenly.



Cover each pan with foil (oiled on the part that will touch the liverwurst mixture). Place the pans inside of an 8 x 12-inch shallow baking pan with about 1 inch of hot water in the bottom. Bake for 1 hour.

Cool the liverwurst in the pans on a cooling rack until firmly set. Carefully loosen around the sides of the pans with a table knife and invert them onto a platter. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week.


If you would like to freeze the liverwurst, cut them into whatever sizes are useful for you, wrap well with foil, then place in a zipper-lock bag, seal and freeze for up to three months.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving or 1/ 8th of a loaf): 61.6 calories; 39% calories from fat; 2.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 148.9mg sodium; 182.5mg potassium; 5.6g carbohydrates; 1.4g fiber; 0.9g sugar; 4.2g net carbs; 4.4g protein; 1.2 points.

NOTE: 
Nervous about using liquid smoke? Here's some info from Cook's Illustrated magazine:

"Liquid Smoke
What is liquid smoke and how is it made? We were among the many people who assume that there must be some kind of synthetic chemical chicanery going on in the making of "liquid smoke" flavoring. But according to the Colgin Company (which has been bottling liquid smoke since the 19th century), that's not the case. Liquid smoke is made by channeling smoke from smoldering wood chips through a condenser, which quickly cools the vapors, causing them to liquefy (just like the drops that form when you breathe on a piece of cold glass). The water-soluble flavor compounds in the smoke are trapped within this liquid, while the non-soluble, carcinogenic tars and resins are removed by a series of filters, resulting in a clean, smoke-flavored liquid.

Curious about the manufacturing process for this product, we wondered if we could bottle up some smoke for ourselves. To do this, we created a small-scale mock-up of the commercial method, involving a kettle grill, a duct fan, a siphon, and an ice-chilled glass coil condenser.

In a comparison of homemade and store-bought liquid smoke, homemade was praised for its clean, intense, smoky flavor. But we spent an entire day and $50 on materials to produce 3 tablespoons of homemade liquid smoke. Commercial liquid smoke is just fine, especially if you avoid brands with additives such as salt, vinegar, and molasses. Wright's Liquid Smoke ($2.99 for 3.5 ounces) is our top-rated brand and contains nothing but smoke and water." 


Enjoy!

I promised to post my recipe or vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (what most people know as "Nutella")  from my book "World Vegan Feast" this week, so I'm making good on my promise. In Europe, chocolate is considered a food and, indeed, it does contain valuable antioxidants. Combined with nuts, it makes a delicious, nutritious (if high-fat) traditional Italian spread to use on toast or bread as you would peanut butter. I would recommend it as a treat, not an everyday commodity. Since most commercial brands contain hydrogenated fats and dairy products (and even the organic vegan commercial varieties contain palm oil), I prefer to make my own.


Since I had to make some to photograph, we are going to have to exercise restraint and not gobble it up too fast!  It is very delicious and actually easy to make (especially if you use commercial hazelnut butter-- or almond butter, which makes an easily-available substitute).  If, for some strange reason, you don’t use it all up, you can swirl it into muffin batter (see the second recipe below for Gianduia Muffns) or vegan ice cream, use it in sweet breads, or make chocolate panini with it (try it with apricot jam or sliced bananas and vegan marshmallow creme).

I couldn't resist posting this recipe from my new book World Vegan Feast for those of you who want a slightly different version of mashed potatoes for Canadian Thanksgiving dinner tonight!

PS: I don't usually add "butter" to mashed potatoes when I serve it, but it looked more interesting for the photo with some melted vegan butter.

BRYANNA’S MASHED POTATOES WITH SAUTÉED CHARD AND GARLIC
Mediterranean Fusion
Serves 6 GF, SFO
This is a delicious Mediterranean take on the Irish potato and cabbage dish, colcannon.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chunked (see Tip below)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb. green swiss chard, tough stems removed and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup hot nondairy milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly Ground black pepper

1.) Place a metal colander or steamer insert in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add enough water to barely reach the bottom of the colander. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Transfer the potato chunks to the steamer/colander, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are soft and the tip of a paring knife inserted into a potato chunk meets no resistance.

2.) While the potatoes cook, sauté the garlic and chard in hot olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Keep stirring, adding a tiny bit of water or broth if necessary, but the chard should exude its own liquid. When all of the liquid has evaporated and the garlic and chard are tender (but still bright green), remove from heat and set aside with a lid over the skillet to keep it warm. (The chard can be cooked ahead of time and briefly reheated before adding to the potatoes to serve.)

3.) Set a potato ricer or food mill over the empty pot. Working in batches, transfer the potatoes to the hopper of the ricer or food mill and press or grind them through the holes, removing any potatoes that stick to the bottom. Press all the potatoes through the ricer or food mill into the pot. If you do not have a ricer or a food mill, transfer the potatoes to the pot, which has been drained of water and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the salt until well-mixed.

4.) Stir in the hot milk and beat the potatoes with a wooden spoon until they are smooth and fluffy. Add the chard and garlic and lots of black pepper. Mixwell and taste for salt. Serve immediately.

Tip: Yukon Gold potatoes contribute a “buttery” look and flavor without using much fat. I steam the potatoes rather than boil them because steaming reduces the chance of having “gluey” mashed potatoes. It also saves nutrients. Using a potato ricer or a food mill makes mashed potatoes extra fluffy.  See more about this at this blog post.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 195 calories, 44 calories from fat, 5.1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 292.5mg sodium, 827.5mg potassium, 34.2g carbohydrates, 3.9g fiber, 2.5g sugar, 4.6g protein, 5.6 points.

Enjoy!

My Almond Cream Whipped Topping on the Lemon Tiramisu from my book, World Vegan Feast.

For many years (like most vegans, I suspect) I tried to make a tofu whipped cream that I really liked.  I finally came up with a version that was acceptable, but it was always evident that it was tofu.  While developing recipes for my subscription newsletter, The Vegan Feast (it ran for 5 years but I am no longer producing it), I developed a delicious, light, clean-tasting, not-too-sweet whipped topping made mostly from almond milk, and it remains my favorite still. ( I prefer not to use whipped coconut milk, which feels too heavy for my taste and is full of saturated fat.)

I tried making it with commercial almond milk, but it just didn't have the fine taste and the body of that made with homemade almond milk.  However, that's not really a deterrent because nut milk is really easy and relatively quick to make.  In fact, the whipped topping is very easy to make, especially if you use a microwave to do the cooked part. (Scared of microwave ovens?  No need to be-- here's some info I've collected and here's an article from The Sierra Club. And, in the book "Cooking Green: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in the Kitchen", author Kate Heyhoe tells us that microwaves can save up to 80% energy compared to doing the same tasks made on the stovetop or in a conventional oven-- so it makes sense to use it for little tasks like heating a cornstarch mixture.)

I'm sharing the recipe with you below (after some photos of the topping used on some yummy desserts), and I hope you'll enjoy it!

More desserts heaped with this delicious (and fairly low-fat) homemade vegan whipped topping:

On Scottish Trifle, from my book, World Vegan Feast.

           

On a Blueberry Shortcake

On  Mango Trifle with Indian Spices, from my book, World Vegan Feast.

                      

In Tiramisu from World Vegan Feast

On a peach shortcake

Troubleshooting: This cream is not as stiff as whipped cream and cannot be used for an icing. But, as you can see from the pictures, it is whipped enough for topping a shortcake or pudding or fruit. 1.) You need to follow the directions exactly, 2.) use the homemade almond milk-- don't try using commercial almond milk beverage; it's not creamy enough-- and 3.) make sure that the agar powder is cooked properly (the microwave method works best, IMO). It MUST be translucent (not white). 4) Also, do not substitute agar flakes for powder-- you would need to use 6 times more flakes than powder and flakes must to be cooked longer. 5.) Chill for AT LEAST 3 hours. That's all I can think of-- I've made it many, many times with no problem.

Printable Recipe


BRYANNA’S ALMOND CREAM WHIPPED TOPPING
Makes about 2 cups, GF (Recipe from my book, World Vegan Feast.)
This is my all-purpose whipped topping – rich, creamy, and light, with a lovely, subtle almond flavor. It can be the perfect shortcake topping when made with a little less agar powder (1/2 teaspoon) because traditionally, the cream for shortcakes is not whipped to stiff peaks, but left soft. PS: This topping is NOT stiff enough to use for a cake icing!

For best results, make the topping at least 4 to 6 hours before serving, but it can be made several days ahead of time. (The recipe is easily doubled.)

1 cup blanched, slivered raw almonds
2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons unbleached organic sugar (light-colored)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (you can choose an organic one) or  wheat starch (which is GF) OR 3 tablespoons white rice flour
3/4 teaspoon agar powder NOTE: Do not use agar flakes (Agar powder is actually less expensive than flakes if you compare by weight!)
1/4 cup firm silken tofu (NOTE: if you prefer to leave this out, use 1 tsp. agar powder instead of 3/4 tsp.)
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

1.) To make the Almond Milk (this just takes a few minutes):
In a blender, combine the almonds and hot water and blend until very smooth. Be patient and let it run for several minutes. Strain the resulting almond milk through a cheesecloth-lined colander over a clean pot, measuring pitcher or bowl. Use 2 layers of fine cheesecloth from a fabric store (or use a nut milk bag). Gather the cheesecloth up to make a “bag” and twist and squeeze the “bag” to squeeze out as much of the almond milk as possible. You can use the almond meal for a facial scrub. NOTE: Do NOT substitute commercial almond milk beverage for the homemade almond milk-- the recipe will not work with the commercial stuff.

2.) In a small saucepan, mix 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the almond milk with the sugar, agar and cornstarch. Stir the mixture over medium heat until thickened and translucent. Or use the...
Microwave Option: Mix in a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl (with room for the mixture to rise up) and cook 30 seconds on 100% power (default setting), whisk and repeat 3 more times or until thickened and translucent. (See note about microwave cooking in the text above the recipe.)

3.) In the blender, combine 1 cup more of the almond milk, the silken tofu, salt, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract, if using. Scrape the cooked mixture into the blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour, then beat the mixture briefly so that it is creamy. Chill again for at least 3 hours.

Nutrition Facts:
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup): 133.4 calories; 58% calories from fat; 9.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 47.3mg sodium; 149.0mg potassium; 9.7g carbohydrates; 2.0g fiber; 4.2g sugar; 7.7g net carbs; 4.6g protein; 3.0 points.

Enjoy on your favorite desserts!