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

My friend Fireweed gave us a large bundle of her home-grown rhubarb the other day, and I was trying to think of something out of the ordinary to do with some of it.

Fireweed's beautiful bundle of home-grown rhubarb and garlic (photo by Roxanne Cave)

My lemon curd recipe is somewhat unusual, as it is not only vegan, but vegetable-based.  You can read about it, and get the recipe, at this blog post. I make it in the microwave, and I did the jam in the microwave, too, so these components of the recipe are easy and quick to make in small quantities. the lemon curd is luscious, sweet and tangy, and Betsy has used it in another of her amazing recipes, Vegan Lemon Verbena Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with Vegan Lemon Curd Filling. I really have to thank her for the inspiration-- I may never have thought have using it in ice cream if it hadn't been for her!

In any case, the ice cream turned out wonderfully well. We had dinner guests last night and they (normally moderate eaters) eagerly consumed second helpings (as did DH and I). The ice cream would be very good all on its own, too, or swirled with a raspberry coulis instead of the rhubarb. I hope you'll give it a try!

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This is a slice cut while the quiche was still hot.

If you use soft silken tofu, this is like a cereal cream. If you use firm or extra-firm silken tofu, it will be like a thick pouring cream for puddings or desserts. For a cream that has no discernible soy flavor, use commercial rice or almond milk. To make Soy-Free, use cooked short grain white rice instead of tofu.

1/2 cup crumbled silken tofu (reduced-fat if you like)
1/2 cup commercial non-dairy "milk", a low fat type
4 tsp. light granulated unbleached organic sugar OR maple syrup
1 pinch salt
Optional: 1/4 tsp. pure almond extract

Place all the ingredients in the blender or food processor and process until very smooth. Place the cream in a covered container and refrigerate for several hours before using.
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This easy vegan “cheddar” is tastier than most commercial vegan cheddar wanna-be’s, and much cheaper, too. It makes great grilled cheeze sandwiches and quesadillas, and can also be used to make a cheese-y sauce.

1 cup water OR 3/4 cup water + 1/4 cup flat beer or white wine
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 3/4 tablespoons oat flour (OR use 2 Tbs. cornstarch + 1 Tbsp. unbleached white flour)
1 Tbsp. light soy or chickpea miso
1 Tbsp. tahini
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic granules
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika (can be smoked if you like)
1/4 tsp. mustard powder
2 T. water

Place the water, yeast, oat flour (or alternate), miso, tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic granules, paprika and mustard powder into a blender and process until very smooth (the oat flour will take a little longer the the cornstarch/flour mix). 

Pour the blended mixture into a small saucepan, or into medium microwave-proof bowl or pitcher. Stir over medium heat until it starts to thicken, then let bubble 30 seconds and whisk vigorously, OR microwave on 100% power for 2 minutes, whisk, then microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes, and whisk again. Whisk in the water until smooth.

Drizzle immediately over your food and broil or bake until a skin forms on top; OR, if not using immediately, refrigerate in a small rigid covered container for up to a week. It will get quite firm upon chilling, but will still be spreadable and melt-able. You can spread the firmed cheeze on bread or quesadillas for grilling, heat it to spread more thinly on casseroles, etc.

Cheeze Toast

To make a sauce, blend the cheeze with nondairy milk, dry white wine or beer (or a mixture of milk and one of the alcoholic beverages), at the rate of 2 parts cheeze and 1 to 2 parts liquid, depending on the thickness you want.  Heat gently.
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For lunch, I made a version of a zucchini dish that my mother used to make-- halved small zucchini, par-cooked (I used a microwave), topped with tomato sauce (you could use a spicy one, if you like), and then, in this case, Melty Chedda' Cheeze Sauce (you could use warmed undiluted Cheeze instead, if you like).  Place under the broiler, with the rack on the second level, and broil until it has a dotted brown skin on it.

I hope these recipes will come in handy for you some time.  Enjoy!

This is a newly revised version of my low-fat vegan mayo recipe that appears in several of my cookbooks including my newest one, "World Vegan Feast", and elsewhere on this blog. I have used, and refined, this recipe for years because I am a mayonnaise lover.  When I use it, I like to slather it on liberally! Hence, my preoccupation with a very lowfat vegan version of it that comes up to my taste standards. Of course, as a baby vegan, I tried those recipes where you blended a stream of oil into some soymilk (which contains lecithin, an emulsifier, as egg yolks do).  They usually worked well, but were just as high in fat and calories as the original. So, for years I made tofu mayonnaise, and I still like it, but my husband never really did, and silken tofu, the main ingredient, makes it more expensive. We both prefer this recipe, and it is very inexpensive.  Four Hellman's fans of my acquaintance loved this (and were surprised that they did). It’s smooth and creamy, and just tangy enough.

This recipe is a child of an old-fashioned salad dressing recipe, called a "Boiled Dressing" (a bit of a misnomer, since it was actually cooked gently in the top of a double boiler). "Boiled Dressing" was made with ingredients available to common people or farm folks, who did not have access to, or could not afford, vegetable oil.  Olive oil was not available to any but the wealthy until the late 19th century, so only they could enjoy vinaigrette and oil-based mayonnaise. Oil-based mayonnaise was not available commercially in the USA until 1907, when Mrs. Schlorer's mayonnaise hit the shelves in Philadelphia. I looked it up and it is still available! Hellman's followed in 1912.


"Boiled dressing" would usually contain a tablespoon or two of butter, and the water, milk or cream (or a combination) base would be thickened with flour or cornstarch and an egg yolk or two. Sometimes it contained a bit of sugar (especially when used on coleslaw) and sometimes not.  (I suspect that the sweeter type is the prototype for Miracle Whip.)

You will find recipes for "Boiled dressing" or "Cooked Salad Dressing" in early North American cookbooks, and in some Southern and Mid-Western cookbooks.  I started out by veganizing a recipe in a Mennonite cookbook called the "More-with-Less Cookbook" (first published in 1979), and refined it over time.

As you might deduce, I'm forever trying to improve upon this recipe. This time, even though it is already a very low-fat recipe, with just enough oil to make it pleasantly creamy, I was trying to revise it for those who do not eat ANY extracted oils. I decided to try using raw cashews, measure-for-measure, instead of oil. A few whole nuts are allowed in some versions of a no-oil vegan diet, so I thought I'd give it a go. (See the calorie comparisons in the introductory text in the recipe below.)

It worked beautifully-- beyond my expectations, actually. It is very creamy and I didn't even have to add the tiny bit of guar or xanthan gum that I usually do as a stabilizer when I use oil. (It has held up well in the refrigerator for about a week and a half so far. Without the vegetable gum, the oil version tends to get a bit runny after a while.)  I will make it this way from now on, unless I run out of raw cashews!

For those who are allergic to soy, prefer not to use oil, do not like tofu mayonnaise, or the commercial "light" mayos (most are not vegan, anyway), this is a delicious (and inexpensive) solution.

For those allergic to corn and or gluten: It's harder to find than other starches, but wheat starch can be used like cornstarch more easily (tsp. for tsp.) than, say, arrowroot, which I have never had success with.  Wheat starch is easily available from amazon.com and it is gluten-free! (See http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/gluten-free-foods/ingredients/new-word-on-wheat-starch/  )  I have also purchased it in Asian food stores and the International sections of some supermarkets.  Food Scientist Shirley O. Corriher (who I will mention more about below) says: "Asian grocery stores are a great place to buy starches. They have arrowroot, potato starch, rice starch, tapioca starch (a powder), wheat starch, etc. at a fraction of their cost in regular stores."
However, if corn or wheat starch is an issue, here's an article about all of the possible substitutes:  
https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/how-to-substitute-cornstarch-article
With some of them, you use a bit more or a bit less, and some must be cooked longer, etc. So, you will have to do some experimenting.  Personally, in the past I experimented with arrowroot (not in this recipe, though) and it didn't work for me, but many people use it. You never know til you try!

I use cornstarch because it works well in this recipe, is cheap (even organic is relatively cheap) and is easy to find.  Wheat starch works the same way. Corriher explains why in this short article: http://www.splendidtable.org/story/tips-vegetable-cookery-starch-shirley-corriher

For more detailed information on starches and how they work, here are two more articles by Corriher: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2006-05-18/features/0605160149_1_starch-sauce-tablespoon  and http://seattletallpoppy.blogspot.ca/2009/01/schoolin-in-starch-from-food-sleuth.html

I experimented quite a bit over the years with this mayo recipe and I definitely recommend corn or wheat starch for best results.

I can't stress enough that this recipe is EASY TO MAKE and takes only a few minutes of your time!  You will save money and calories.  And you can use the type of nondairy milk that suits you. (I've used hemp milk with good result, BTW.)


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BRYANNA’S CREAMY LOW-FAT VEGAN MAYONNAISE WITH NO EXTRACTED OIL (can be soy-free, nut-free, GF and corn-free, and is vegetable-gum-free) (Updated Sept. 2017)
Servings: 32;  Yield: about 2 cups
There are about 90 calories in a tablespoon of regular non-vegan mayo and also in Vegenaise Original or Earth Balance Mindful Mayo. There are 45 calories per tablespoon in Vegenaise Reduced-Fat, 35 in Spectrum Eggless Light Canola Mayo, but only 12 calories per tablespoon in this mayo-- so you can indulge yourself!  NOTE: This was calculated using my homemade soymilk, but I calculated it (with Living Cookbook software) using various nondairy milks and they were all in this range.

Ingredients:
Mix A:
1 cup any non-dairy milk (except canned full-fat coconut milk) you like to drink, Original type-- doesn't have to be un-sweetened 
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (my favorite), plain rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice (or a combination of any of these)
1-1 1/2  teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (mustard powder)
1/4 cup raw shelled Brazil nuts (roughly chopped before measuring), raw macadamia nuts, or raw hazelnuts, brown skins removed (See below for why I don't use cashews.)
NOTE: Low-cost, nut-free options-- unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (a legume), shelled raw sunflower seeds (soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes and drained), or raw sesame seeds, or a combo. I like half dry-roasted peanuts and half shelled raw sunflower seeds.
Optional: 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes (This adds a subtle richness to the mayo.)

Mix B:
10 tablespoons cold water (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon agar powder (NOT flakes)
4 tablespoons cornstarch (or use wheat starch--do not substitute other starches! Wheat starch is GF! See text above the recipe for more info and possible substitutes. PS: You can buy organic cornstarch in health food stores and online.)
NOTE: If the cooled-off mayo seems too thick or stiff to you, beat it with a whisk (you can do it right in the jar if you have a whisk that fits) until creamy. 
If you cut down the amount of cornstarch, it gets a bit runny after a week or so.  The whisking method works for me-- it stays creamy but thick.

NOTE BEFORE YOU START: This mayo does not thicken as you blend it, like egg mayonnaise or soy mayonnaise made with lots of oil, so don’t blend it and blend it, thinking it will thicken as it blends-- it won’t!! It will thicken in a few hours in the refrigerator.

Instructions:
Place the Mix A ingredients into your blender jar and have ready. In a small saucepan or microwave-proof bowl, mix together the water and agar from Mix B, and let sit for a few of minutes. Add the starch and whisk well.

If making in the saucepan on the stovetop, stir constantly over high heat until thick and translucent-- not chalky white. OR: Microwave option (my preference): Use the microwave-proof bowl for the mixture, and microwave on 100% power for 30 seconds. Whisk. Repeat this about three times, or until thick and translucent/semitransparent- not chalky white, even if this takes more than four 30-second intervals in the microwave. Use a silicone spatula instead of a whisk after the first time, to scrape the bottom of the bowl of any starch that gets stuck and mix it in with the rest of the mixture. NOTE: If you don't cook this thoroughly (and "translucent" is the key word), the mayo won't thicken properly.

Scrape the cooked Mix B into the blender (using a spatula so that you get as much of it as you can out of the bowl or pot) containing Mix A. Blend until the mixture is very white and frothy and emulsified,

Pour the mayo into a clean pint (2 cup) jar (there may be a little bit over, which you can pour into a tiny jar or sample cup), cover and refrigerate for several hours, until it is set. It should be firm enough to stand a knife up in. Keep refrigerated. It will keep for about 2 weeks.

MISO MAYO VARIATION: Omit the salt and add 3 tablespoons white miso.

ANOTHER VARIATION: Do you prefer a Miracle Whip-type spread to mayonnaise? Try this:
Use 3/4 to 1 teaspoon mustard powder and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon organic sugar or agave nectar to the recipe (sugar levels in this type of recipe vary, so start with this and then let your taste dictate).

For more variations see this blog post.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per tablespoon): 12.0 calories; 42% calories from fat; 0.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 92.6mg sodium; 9.1mg potassium; 1.4g carbohydrates; 0.1g fiber; 0.2g sugar; 1.4g net carbs; 0.4g protein; 0.3 points.

Cooking Tips
1.) This mayonnaise, with the addition of herbs, garlic, etc., can be used as a savory vegetable and toast topping.

2.) If you leave out the agar in the basic recipe, this makes a good base for cold savory sauces.

WHY I NO LONGER USE CASHEWS:


Enjoy!

Lime-y Avocado Sorbet
 
                  Easy Three-Berry Vegan Frozen Yogurt

I had to laugh after I told my husband that we were  trying out a rather unusual sorbet after dinner.  he said, "It's not avocado is it?" (He had seen it, evidently.)  I said, defensively, "It's lime!"  Which was true, up to a point.  So, I served it (as pictured above and below) and he loved it, at which time I confessed and he admitted that he should be more open-minded.




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