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

I'm happy to report that, over the last few days, my rotten cold is just about over, my nerve pain (from shingles) discomfort has eased quite a bit (after 4 months), and I have had much more energy in the last few days. I have managed to get some much-needed household and outside jobs done (in the morning, when my energy is highest)-- yay!

That said, I was moved to make some muffins a few days ago, and I made a batch of the same today, as well.  I had stumbled upon a recipe I had written a few years ago that sounded  just perfect for what I had available in my pantry and refrigerator.  But, I tweaked it a bit to make it lower on the glycemic index. I was a bit worried that using low-glycemic whole grains in place of the original white pastry flour, but I needn't have done so. I used only 1/2 cup of wholewheat flour, and replaced the rest with my favorite low-glycemic flour mixture of 3/4 oat flour and 1/4 chickpea flour.  It worked perfectly!

In my original recipe, I made a note stating: "Batter will be kind of runny-- it will be fine." I was a bit nervous about this, but decided to proceed anyway. Again, I needn't have worried-- the muffins turned out just fine-- in fact, nice and moist, but not soggy at all.  I hope you'll give them a try!


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S NEW, MOIST LOW-FAT, LOW-GLYCEMIC LEMON, WALNUT, BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Makes 12 muffins

WET MIX:
1 1/2 cups creamy plant-based milk (I use soy)
1/2 cup sugar of choice (for sugar-free, use 1/2 cup sucralose instead)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 T. oil
grated zest of 1 lemon

DRY MIX:
3/4 cup oat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour (or white bean flour)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup oat bran
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Additional:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw them out!)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or nuts of your choice)
Optional for topping: brown sugar or coconut sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease 12 muffin cups (or use cupcake liners or my Homemade Palm-Oil-Free, Non-Hydrogenated “Cake Release” (Pan Coating or Professional Baker's Grease).

Blend the Wet Mix ingredients together in a blender or with a stick blender, or a food processor. Set aside Mix the Dry Mix ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add the blueberries and walnuts and stir to coat with the Dry Mix.

Stir in the blended Wet mix and stir well, making sure that there is no Dry Mix still at the bottom of the bowl. As noted in the intro above, the batter will be runny-- see pics below.

I do apologize for blogging do seldom lately!  A combination of lack of inspiration, attempting to sort through the accumulation of belongings after being in this house for 18 years and get rid of what is not needed, and various family stuff (including, I'm so sorry to say, a death in the family) has kept my cooking to a fairly simple minimum.

I'm happy to say that the early summer produce available locally and the need to use up bounty stored in the freezer and in jars from last year has inspired me  somewhat. This last is what inspired me to make this ice cream.

My granddaughter and her partner and her dad are coming over today for lunch (my husband is doing a photo shoot of her because she is due to have her baby in about 2 weeks!), and I wanted to make a nice dessert to come after the vegan chile, cornbread and salad.  I immediately thought of something lemony because I had 5 lemons that I needed to use up and lemon ice cream came to mind-- creamy, slightly tart. Just the thing.  But then I remembered the jar of my homemade Italian Wild Plum Jam (recipe here) in the refrigerator that I had made last year. I thought it would be perfect swirled through the ice cream, a color and taste contrast. (There are some suggested alternatives in the recipe if you don't have anything similar, BTW,  so don't let not having plum jam handy put you off!)

So, here is the result and very fine it is, in my opinion.  Let's see what my guests think...


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CREAMY VEGAN LEMON ICE CREAM WITH WILD PLUM JAM SWIRL (with nut-free alternative)
Servings: 10
This is easy to make, creamy and  refreshing!

1 cup raw cashews (see Tips below for nut-free alternative)
2 1/2 cups creamy non-dairy milk (I prefer Silk original Organic Soy Milk)
1 cup unbleached organic sugar (light-colored)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
NOTE: I used 5 medium lemons in total
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum OR 2 1/2 tsp. Instant Clear Jel (use only the instant)
OPTIONAL: 2 T. vodka, white vermouth-- the alcohol prevents the ice cream from freezing rock solid
For the Swirl:
1/3-1/2 cup wild plum jam (see Tips below for alternatives)

Cover the cashews with boiling water and let stand for at least 10 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. When you are ready to mix them with other ingredients, drain them well.

Combine all of the ingredients (EXCEPT the jam) in a high-speed blender, including the soaked and well-drained cashews. Blend at high speed until very smooth and creamy.

Chill until the mixture is very cold.  Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker.  (I use a Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker and it took about 20 minutes freezing time.)

Have ready a 2-quart rectangular glass, metal or ceramic baking pan (9 x 13"), or a rectangular 2-quart freezer storage container, which you have placed in the freezer while the ice cream maker does its work.

When the mixture is creamy but frozen, spread it into your frozen pan or container. For the swirl, drop blobs of the jam in two lines down the length of the ice cream.  Take a table knife and swirl it into the ice cream. Cover and freeze for several hours before serving.



Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 219 calories, 60 calories from fat, 7.4g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 77.8mg sodium, 208.4mg potassium, 35.9g carbohydrates, 1.4g fiber, 28.7g sugar, 4.4g protein, 6.3 points.

Tips
NUT-FREE ALTERNATIVE:

Omit the cashews and the non-dairy milk and use instead 3 1/2 cups of your favorite dairy-free creamer, but don't use a sweet or flavored variety.  My favorites are So Delicious Original Coconutmilk Creamer and Silk Original Soy Creamer.

ABOUT THE JAM:
You can use any not-too-sweet plum jam, or other not-too-sweet dark-colored home-style fruit jam if you have no wild plum jam. If your jam is very solid, you may need to water it down a little so that it swirls nicely.  You could use water or even a little plum slivovitz or schnapps to thin it out, if you like.

My Italian-Style Wild Plum Jam recipe is here: http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.ca/2007/09/jewel-like-tangy-sweet-italian-plum-jam.html
and there is a recipe for plum jam made with any type of plum here:
http://pickyourown.org/plumjam.htm
This Canadian website shows some types of commercially made home-style jams of a less common type than are generally available: http://edelweissimports.com/specialty-food/jams-spreads.html?p=1 ,  including Bonne Maman Mirabelles Plum Jam
I have seen these jams in well-stocked supermarkets and specialty stores. Amazon also carries various gourmet plum jams.
Enjoy!

Vegan Scaloppine al Limone ( made with "Breast of Tofu") with Chanterelle Mushrooms on a bed of orzo pasta, with roasted asparagus Scaloppine is the term used for very thin Italian-style cutlets (or "scallops" or "medallions"), quickly prepared with a savory sauce.  My vegan version of this Italian favorite is made with thin seitan cutlets, commercial vegan cutlets, or my Breast of Tofu Crispy Slices, which I usually have marinating in my refrgerator for quick meals.       Scaloppine are sauced in a number of ways, and no doubt you will make up a few of your own once you get the hang of it.  (This is one of the most successful vegetarian dishes to serve to omnivores, by the way.) You are limited only by your taste, your pantry and your imagination. This type of dish is actually one of my favorite "go-to" dishes for occasions when I have to make a really quick meal (start-to-finish in 20 minutes or less).  My husband likes orzo, so I usually put some on to cook first. (I cook it like rice-- 1 cup orzo to 2 cups salted water or broth; add herbs if you like.)  It takes about 20 minutes to cook.  Crusty bread is a ready-made and traditional accompaniment, too.  Add a salad or some quick-cooked greens. Quick as it is, it's good enough for company-- really! The Method: I brown and crisp the "B of T"(Breast of Tofu) or the cutlets and set them aside, and then make a quick sauce with some wine (sherry, vermouth, Marsala, port, white or red wine) and broth and whatever interesting ingredients I have around. That could include bell peppers, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, fresh or canned tomatoes, onions, leeks, a variety of herbs, both dried and fresh, miso (my vegan equivalent of anchovies or anchovy paste, which is often used as an umami flavoring agent in Italian cooking), a tiny bit of chopped vegan "bacon" or "ham", unsweetened vegan creamer, ... even fruits like sliced apples or pears.   In this recipe, lemon is the primary flavoring and chanterelle mushrooms (which we can pick on our local walks at this time of the year) take the starring roll in this version of the dish.  Whatever you use in your recipe, follow the same method of cooking as in this recipe and it's hard to go wrong!     Printable Recipe BRYANNA'S VEGAN SCALOPPINE AL LIMONE  (WITH CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS)  Serves 4 This is adapted from a recipe in my book "Nonna's Italian Kitchen".  If you prefer, use 4  commercial or homemade vegan cutlets, floured or breaded and crisped  in a little olive oil, instead of the tofu. 1/2 recipe Breast of Tofu, Crispy Slices, made ahead and set aside (or alternate, see above) 1-2 T. extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 T. minced fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp. dried) 2 cups sliced chanterelle mushrooms (or use any type of mushroom  you have available) 1/2 c. dry white wine (can be dealcoholized) or dry white vermouth 1 c. vegetarian broth (I like Better Than Bouillon Vegan No-Chicken) grated zest of 1 lemon (preferably organic) 1-2 T. fresh lemon juice freshly ground pepper In a heavy non-stick, cast iron or hard-anodized skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and rosemary and stir-fry for a minute.  Raise the heat to High and add the mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms exude their liquid and then evaporate most of the liquid. Add the wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add the pre-cooked crispy slices of Breast of Tofu (or alternate) to the pan. Add the broth and lemon zest.  Bubble the sauce over high heat until a nice sauce forms.  Add the lemon juice and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately. In Italy you would probably eat this type of dish with crusty bread, but North Americans might prefer plain rice, orzo or egg-free pasta. Enjoy!

We planted two rhubarb plants last year and this year they have grown amazingly!  Yesterday I picked several stalks and then had to decide what to do with it.  I didn't feel like making a dessert , so I decided a savory dish with rhubarb added for some tang was just the ticket.  Rhubarb (which is actually a vegetable) is used in savory dishes in Iran, Afghanistan, India (three cuisines which continue to intrigue and delight me), and also Eastern Europe, where it is often paired with potatoes (which actually makes alot of sense to me), and used in soups and even salads. Lots of inspiration here, which I may need if these plants keep producing at this rate!

Some time ago, I had seen a recipe from Bon Appetit magazine for rhubarb-stuffed chicken breasts and a lemony rhubarb sauce.  The sauce sounded delightful and, since I had just received a case of Soy Curls™ (see about this versatile  product, made with the whole soybean, here), I thought I could make a simpler, vegan version with them-- a little less sweet and using less fat, but keeping some of the richness to complement the tangy quality.  We enjoyed the results immensely, and the leftovers were even more delicious for lunch today!


Printable Recipe

I made this for my granddaughters for dessert last night-- I hadn't made it for a long time and forgot how yummy it is, despite the simple ingredients.  The original version is from one of my earlier books, "Soyfoods Cooking for a Positive Menopause".  I made it with a regular pie crust then, but I think I like it better with a graham cracker crumb crust.  The girls loved it--  I hope you will, too.

Printable Recipe

I had a strange urge to make marmalade yesterday. I say "strange" because I don't do much in the way of preserve-making these days. But, I was reading about saving energy in the kitchen (Kate Hayhoe's "Cooking Green" is a good resource if you are interested) by using kitchen appliances such as microwave ovens (afraid of them? read), slow-cookers, pressure cookers, etc.. As a morning project, I re-arranged my appliances on the deep counters of my small kitchen so that all of my labor-and-energy-saving devices, both those that I use often, or those that I should use more often, are right at hand. (I, for one, will resist making a dish if it entails lugging an awkward machine out from a corner cupboard or even downstairs in my office, where the overflow goes.)

That done, I decided to make some small batches of marmalade, which my husband loves, in the microwave. I figured that, if it was a simple process, I would not have to buy it anymore and could make it from organic products while still saving money. I found a recipe, or more like a guide, really, for microwave orange marmalade in the book "Not Your Mother's Microwave Cookbook" by Beth Hensperger. Normally, the rule of thumb when making marmalade or jam is approximately twice as much sugar as fruit. But Beth's rule is 1 cup sugar to 1 cup of the fruit mix-- so, less sugar, too! And the chopping is done in a food processor, so more streamlining.

So, I made two jars (there was a bit left over to sample)-- one with a large navel orange and a lemon, and one with 3 medium-large lemons and some candied ginger.  Both are delicious and each took about 15 minutes from start to finish-- I'm not kidding!

Here's what I did:

Printable Recipe (both versions)

BRYANNA'S VERSION OF MICROWAVE ORANGE-WITH-A-BIT-OF-LEMON MARMALADE
Makes a little over 1 pint.

1 large navel orange (use organic and scrub as well)
1 medium-large lemon (ditto note above)
organic unbleached granulated sugar equal to the measure of processed fruit
(My fruit came to 1 1/2 cups, so I used 1 1/2 cups sugar ) 
1 tablespoon golden syrup (a sugar product) per cup of  processed fruit (this replaces the 1 tablespoon corn syrup Beth Hensperger called for), to prevent crystallization.
(I used 1 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup)

If you don't mind a chunky marmalade, you can process the whole fruit in the food processor. If you want it to to be a little more refined, use a zester and zest the orange and lemon first, before cutting the lemon into 8 wedges (remove any seeds) and the orange into 12 wedges and then each wedge in half.  Whichever way you do it, add the fruit to your food processor and pulse until the fruit is in tiny pieces, but not pulverized.

Pour it the fruit into a 2 qt. ceramic or Pyrex measuring beaker/batter bowl.  Take note of the measure of the fruit (measure it first if your bowl does not have measurement indications) and add an equal amount of sugar and then the golden syrup as instructed above.  Stir well.

Microwave (in a 1200 watt oven) on 100% power for 2-3 minutes and then on 10% power for 3-6 minutes, depending upon the amount. The fruit peel should be softened and the liquid a bit thickened.  NOTE: I cooked this batch for 2 minutes at 100% power and then 6 minutes at 10% power. If your oven has less wattage than mine, you may need to add a little more time onto each section of cooking.  If it is 1300 watts or more, you may have to use less time.

Pour the mixture into a sterilized pint jar or two sterilized half-pint jars and secure the lids.  Let cool a room temperature and then refrigerate (or water-bath can as per canning instructions for preserves).

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 38.7 calories; 0% calories from fat; 0.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 1.6mg sodium; 14.2mg potassium; 10.1g carbohydrates; 0.3g fiber; 9.6g sugar; 9.9g net carbs; 0.1g protein; 0.7 points.


LEMON/GINGER MARMALADE VERSION:
Makes about 1 1/4 pints
I'm thinking that this marmalade would be a great base for a savory grilling sauce.

The same as above, except use:
3 medium-large organic lemons
1/2 cup organic candied ginger
organic unbleached granulated sugar equal to the measure of processed fruit
1 tablespoon golden syrup (a sugar product) per cup of  processed fruit (this replaces the 1 tablespoon corn syrup Beth Hensperger called for), to prevent crystallization.
(After I measured the fruit mixture with this version-- and, as you can see in the photo above, I zested the lemons before processing-- I had to use 2 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons golden syrup.)

Follow the instructions in the main recipe above. For this version, I cooked it at 100% power for 3 minutes and 10% power for 5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per tablespoon): 51.7 calories; 0% calories from fat; 0.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 2.0mg sodium; 15.9mg potassium; 13.9g carbohydrates; 0.5g fiber; 10.9g sugar; 13.4g net carbs; 0.1g protein; 0.9 points.

There's a book I have on order called "One Pot of Jam from Your Microwave (Quick and Easy)" by Sonia Allison (author of "One Pot Luxury Preserves from the Microwave", which is out of print but still available 2nd hand.) I have ordered it from my library. Both should be interesting!

Happy preserving!

This was a cake I developed for a wedding 6 years ago.  I did a post on it at the time, but I removed it because, not only were the information links broken, and the recipe contained palm oil products, but I had written it in haste and it needed to be re-done.  So, here its is again, re-written and sans palm oil!

I must confess that, even though I've always loved to cook, I have never thought of myself as a sweet baker, really (yeast baking, yes, however). I never imagined myself making a wedding cake!  But, I have made a few since becoming a vegan, for family and for paying customers, and I'll wager that, though they might not look as slick and gorgeous as even the average supermarket bakery cake, they taste a heck of a lot better! 

In any case, I hope I have provided enough information to help the novice-- if not, I'm  sure you'll let me know! And I hope that the fact that I can manage this in my little kitchen, with my rather low self-confidence in this area of baking, will be reassuring.

It makes a great birthday cake, BTW.  My DIL made it once for the principal of the Denman Island Elementary School where she teaches. Said principal is a vegan and one of of our Vegan Dinner Group friends, and she remembers that birthday cake fondly to this day.  DIL, being the very creative person that she is, added rose water to the cake and decorated it with rose petals!
BRYANNA’S HOMEMADE PALM-OIL-FREE, NON-HYDROGENATED “CAKE RELEASE” (PAN COATING OR PROFESSIONAL BAKER'S GREASE)

Enjoy!