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

When I read about a yeast bread that takes 5 minutes to mix (no kneading), and you can keep it in the refrigerator for 2 WEEKS, AND it's tasty and crusty, I just had to try it! I read about it on my friend Julie Hasson's blog. The recipe is from a best-selling book:


"Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

You may have read about my experiment with the other no-knead sensation from Jim Lahey via Mark Bittman at the new York Times. That was a great bread, but it did require some planning ahead. The "five-minute" bread is similar in some ways-- a very simple dough, very wet, no kneading, long rise. The long rise is what gives it exceptional flavor and gives strength to the gluten the way kneading ordinarily would.

This is not really new. I have a book called "No Need to Knead" by Susanne Dunaway, which was published in 1999:



The author is a professional baker who operated an Italian bread business. Her breads often (but not always) use a starter or biga (firm Italian starter), she stirs the dough with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes, and then, with many of the recipes, you have the option of using it after a 40-minute rise, OR an overnight rise in the refrigerator. The ones I tried came out pretty well, but I definitely think the longer rise improved flavor.

I compared Jim Lahey's recipe with the "five-minute" one, and a basic one from "No Need to Knead". The amount of water to flour is about the same (Jim Lahey's used a tiny bit more water-- for a recipe the size of the recipe below, you would add about 1/4 cup more water). The amount of yeast really varies, though. The Jim Lahey dough has an 18 hour rise at room temperature, so you start with only 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (1/3 teaspoon regular dry active yeast). Dunaway uses 2 teaspoons yeast for a dough about 2/3 the weight of the one below.

The "five-minute" dough calls for 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS of yeast-- I find that excessive. I really can't figure out why they would use so much yeast. I used 1/3 as much (1/2 tablespoon) and it rose beautifully, as you can see from the pictures below!

NOTE: I had no suitable container empty, so I used the plastic box that organic baby salad greens come in!


The dough just after mixing.


The dough after being in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

I made some of the "five-minute" dough yesterday, using less yeast and some whole wheat flour, and baked a loaf of bread today (I plan to make pizza with the rest of the dough tonight-- I'll report on that!) I thought 1/4 of the dough looked too small, so I used half the dough for a round loaf.
(UPDATE: SEE BELOW RECIPE FOR PIZZA RESULTS.)

The taste of the bread was fantastic! It didn't have great holes, but I think that is from too much handling on my part-- as I read from an anonymous chef on a forum: "getting the big holes is achieved by:

a) a very wet dough

b) handling the dough with alot of care after retarding, no punchdown whatsoever!

c) NOT overproofing the dough. Dont wait untíl you get EXACTLY double in size

d) a VERY VERY hot oven + spritzing 2 to 3 times to avoid early crusting

all the things in combination work, none of them alone !!"

The crust was better on Jim Lahey's bread, but the taste of this one was better, we thought. I might try the "five-minute" bread in a cast iron Dutch oven. I'm sure that many recipes are adaptable to this very easy method!



SIMPLE CRUSTY BREAD (BRYANNA'S VERSION)
(See my final personal version in my book "World Vegan Feast".  I use the "bake in a pot" method now [most of the time]-- see at this post. )

The original recipe called for all unbleached flour— I used some whole wheat.

Adapted from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day,” by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007)

1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 tablespoon) dry active yeast [The original recipe said 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS, but this is way too much! It worked fine with 1/2 tablespoon.—BCG]
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (hard wheat flour or bread flour)
Cornmeal

1. In a large bowl, large plastic bowl with lid, or plastic bread-mixing container, mix yeast with 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Let sit until yeast dissolves. [I did this even though the original recipe didn’t say to—mine was regular dry active  yeast, not instant, so I thought it might need dissolving.—BCG] Add salt. Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. [UPDATE: I now use a Danish dough whisk.] Dough will be quite loose. Cover. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours). [I let it rise about 4 hours—BCG]



2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with dough cutter/bench scraper (metal or plastic). Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel [or a or cookie sheet with no sides-- BCG] sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. [I let it rise 1 hour- BCG] Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3. Place broiler pan in bottom of oven. Place baking stone or large cast iron skillet, cast iron pizza pan or cast iron griddle on middle rack of oven and turn oven to 450 degrees F [I used convection, too-- BCG]; heat stone at that temperature for at least 45 minutes (cast iron pans only require 30 minutes).



4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three-four times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. [NOTE: I used my little Cuisinart countertop BrickOven and you don’t need steam in that—it worked great! BCG] Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.



Yield: 2 loaves. [The original recipe says 4 loaves, but they would be pretty small!—BCG]

Variation: If not using stone or cast iron pan, stretch rounded dough into oval and place in a greased, nonstick loaf pan. Let rest 40 minutes if fresh, an extra hour if refrigerated. Heat oven to 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Place pan on middle rack.

PIZZA UPDATE, 7 PM:



I made two 12" pizzas, but I think 3 would have been better. Even though the dough was cold and I got it right into the oven after rolling, it rose like crazy!





This crust was a little tough, but I think that is because it rose so much and had to cook longer because of the thickness. Adding a little olive oil to the dough next time might be a good idea for pizza. It was very good, but I will make 3 pizzas (with half of the dough) next time because I like a thin crust.


Enjoy!

This post is going to be short and sweet. I'm under a deadline and, most of the time, when I'm cooking these days, it's for the Field Roast book I'm finishing, and I can't post those recipes!

The other night I had some chickpeas to use up and I decided to try this dish from one of my favorite authors, Habeeb Salloum, a wonderful Canadian writer/cook of Syrian descent. This recipe is from his very readable 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.



Here's a review from Brian Fawcett at the Books in Canada website:

"Possibly the most uniquely Canadian book I've seen in several years is Habeeb Salloum's Arab Cooking on a Saskatchewan Homestead: Recipes and Recollections from the Canadian Plains Research Centre at the University of Regina. Salloum's parents emigrated to Canada from Syria in the early 1920s, and settled in Saskatchewan. He grew up as a prairie farm kid, joined the RCAF for World War II, then worked for the federal government for thirty-six years before retiring to a third career as a freelance historian, writer, and, on the evidence presented in the book, a food lover.

As cookbooks go, this is the real deal for people who like Middle Eastern cuisine, but it is a lot more than merely a cookbook. It is also a fine piece of cultural history written by a man about equally rooted in Arab and Canadian culture, in agricultural and nutritional science, and, most firmly, in Saskatchewan's history of rural immigration. It is therefore a useful book on several grounds."

There's another great description and review here.

Here's a passage from that review: "'With their food, Syrian immigrants were 100 years ahead of their time,' he says. He sent in the unsolicited cookbook manuscript to the University of Regina's Canadian Plains Research Center and crossed his fingers. 'If it had been a straight-up cookbook we wouldn't have published it. It's the recollection part that interested us," says publication coordinator Brian Mlazgar. 'I've been publishing books in Saskatchewan for 30 years and I had no idea there were Syrian-Lebanese people here that early.'"

I love checking out the recipes for lentils, chickpeas, bulgur and other simple foods that were staples for this family during the Great Depression, cooked with Middle Eastern panache of his mother.

This recipe is a keeper! It's simple but very yummy, and naturally vegan.

HABEEB SALLOUMS'S CHICKPEAS WITH MACARONI

Like many Middle Eastern pasta dishes, this recipe utilizes an unusual cooking method-- you just chuck the raw pasta into the dish with some extra liquid. It really works! From "Arab Cooking on a Saskatchewan Homestead: Recipes and Recollections" by Habeeb Salloum.

2 Tbs olive oil
2 medium onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I had only dried, so I used 1 Tbs.)
1 small hot pepper, minced (I had only dried so I used 1 small one, crushed)
2 cups tomatoes, chopped (he specified stewed, but I used canned, diced, with juice)
2 cups well-cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 cups raw macaroni (I used small shell pasta-- and wholewheat is fine)
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (black, freshly-ground)
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onions and garlic in it over medium heat until they begin to brown. Stir in the cilantro and hot pepper and saute a few minutes more.

Mix in the remaining ingredients, mix well, and scoop into a 2 qt. oiled casserole dish. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Servings: 6

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 267.7 calories; 21% calories from fat; 6.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 512.7mg sodium; 539.5mg potassium; 45.8g carbohydrates; 8.4g fiber; 8.0g sugar; 37.4g net carbs; 10.1g protein; 5.1 points.



Enjoy!

The following passage by bad-boy chef/author Anthony Bourdain inspired my vegan friends Sarah and Gordon to invite a few other vegans over for a vegan "splinter faction" pizza party last Saturday.

"Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. The body, these waterheads imagine, is a temple that should not be polluted by animal protein. It's healthier, they insist, though every vegetarian waiter I've worked with is brought down by any rumor of a cold. Oh, I'll accommodate them, I'll rummage around for something to feed them, for a 'vegetarian plate', if called on to do so. Fourteen dollars for a few slices of grilled eggplant and zucchini suits my food cost fine." From Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain, p. 70.

Here's a comment from Dec. 2001 issue of Satya magazine by Jack Rosenberger (sorry the link is no longer viable), which precisely echoes my own thoughts, on that very passage:

"This passage tells us a lot about Bourdain and almost nothing about vegetarianism. To write that 'vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit' is quite a sweeping statement. When I think of, for instance, well-known living vegetarians, the type of persons who come to mind are people like Jane Goodall and Paul McCartney, who are first-class humanitarians. As for vegetarianism being 'an affront' to 'the pure enjoyment of food,' Bourdain clearly never had the pleasure of dining at, say, the Angelica Kitchen in New York City. And his characterization of vegetarians as being solely health conscious— 'the body, these waterheads imagine, is a temple that should not be polluted by animal protein'”—conveniently ignores the fact that many persons who are vegetarians are so for environmental and ethical reasons. As for the vegetarian waiters who are allegedly 'brought down by even the rumor of a cold,' well, if there’s a literary society somewhere that hands out awards for the most ridiculous writing, I hope it bestows an award upon Bourdain. He clearly deserves it."

And, might I add, Mr. Bourdain reveals not only his ignorance, but his lack of imagination as a chef!

Well, we all thought it was a great excuse for a party, and everyone brought their own dough, sauces and toppings (and I brought my new Cuisinart Brickoven for an extra oven). One of our party had never made a yeast dough before, AND she tried a kamut flour dough! She was really nervous about it, but it was just great!


Suzanne stressing over her kamut pizza dough, which was a big hit!

Gordon made a thin crust pizza with caramelized onions, slices of fresh pear, and cracked pepper-- to die for! I made my Neapolitan pizza dough (UPDATE: recipe in  my book World Vegan Feast) and my usual simple pizza sauce, and brought sliced marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, roasted onions and portobello mushrooms, and roasted zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, and garlic, along with Sheese mozzarella, as toppings. But, you know, the cheese-less pizzas were all very delicious!





I was acting as sort of "pizza coordinator" with our hostess Sarah, so I didn't take any pictures. My husband did, but he always takes photos of people, not food! I forgot to remind him! So the pizza pics here are from former pizza feasts, but they are my pizzas!

Other topping combinations included: arugula with fresh tomatoes and lots of garlic; and spinach with pine nuts and homemade vegan "feta". There were others, but I can't even remember now! We shamelessly stuffed ourselves! We also had a lovely organic green salad, and some delicious appetizers, such as marinated cucumber spears, dried figs eaten with a beet relish (sounds weird, but it was divine!), nuts and other dried fruits. For dessert Sarah made a delectable Tofutti cheesecake, served with a strawberry coulis and lemon sorbet.

BTW, my little Cuisinart Brickoven performed really well-- better than the big oven! The pizzas baked in it (directly on the stone, at 500 degrees F) cooked quickly, and the edge of the crust blistered like a real stone oven pizza!



Here are a few more pictures of the fun. And, BTW, the floured overturned bowls on the counter were there in case anyone wanted to try stretching the partly-rolled out dough over them for a thin-crust pizza-- this is an easy alternative to spinning a pizza or stretching it on your knuckles. You drape the dough over an over-turned bowl (see picture below) and gently stretch it until it is the right size, using the weight of the dough stretch it. Work slowly so that you don’t tear the dough. If it does tear, by some chance, you can patch it and seal it again. The pizza does not have to be absolutely round! You can use a rolling pin only, but Neapolitans are of the opinion that this makes a flatter and less chewy crust.





Mike rolling the dough.


Prepping with Sarah in her new kitchen.


Fireweed taking a turn at rolling her dough.




Happy rolling, topping and baking!

Cute!

Saturday we visited our favorite little Asian Grocery store in Nanaimo, BC, and I couldn't resist what the Washington Post called the "cuteness quotient" of the baby bok (or pak) choy.

Baby bok choy is simply a miniature, immature version of the larger bok choy, but I like the texture better, and, as that particular article stated: "Cuteness quotient aside, baby bok choy are more tender and incomparably milder than big bok choy." Perfect for the soup recipe I had in mind. (See below.)

And, like other members of the brassica (cabbage) family of vegetables, bok choy provides lots of vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, and glucosinolates, which may help prevent cancer.

So, this green vegetable is more than just cute.

Here's an easy, traditional home-style Chinese soup that showcases these little beauties!



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S BABY BOK CHOY, MUSHROOM AND DEEP-FRIED (OR OVEN-FRIED) TOFU SOUP
Serves 4

This makes a wonderful light lunch or supper. This recipe is adapted from a recipe in my book "Authentic Chinese Cuisine for the Contemporary Kitchen".

5 cup light vegetarian broth (see here)

1 and 1/2 lb. baby bok choy (Nai Yu), washed, dried, trimmed and sliced in half vertically (get the kind that are only 2-3" long for this recipe)
6 dried shiitake or Chinese black mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 1/2 hour, stemmed, and sliced (save strained soaking water)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tbs. oil
9/ 1 1/2-inch cubes of commercial deep-fried tofu
(OR you can use 3/4 lb. firm tofu cut into 1 by 1 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch triangles, pan-fried until golden in a little oil, or Oven-Fried as instructed below the recipe)
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
2 1/2 cup cooked gan mian or ji mian (plain, thin Chinese flour and water noodles), or spaghettini
dark sesame oil, for garnish

If using the commercial fried tofu, pour boiling water over it, let stand for a few minutes, then drain it and squeeze out as much water and oil as you can. Cut the cubes in half.

Have a large soup pot containing the broth heating at a simmer.

Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. When hot, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the bok choy, dried mushrooms and fresh mushrooms. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add these vegetables, along with the remaining ingredients, including the mushroom soaking water and the fried tofu, to the pot of broth. Let it simmer for a few minutes, until everything is hot. (You don't want to overcook the bok choy!)

Divide immediately between four bowls and pass the sesame oil to sprinkle over each serving. Serve with a spoon and a fork!

BRYANNA’S OVEN-FRIED TOFU

Use firm tofu. Cut the block in half crosswise, then each half in thirds horizontally. Then cut each piece into triangles. Place these on dark oiled cookie sheets and spray the tops with oil from a pump sprayer. Bake at 500 degrees F 5-7 minutes per side, or until golden and puffy. These may be frozen for future use.

Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN BROTH CUBES, POWDERS, ETC.:
Instant broth powders, pastes, and cubes seem to be very regional. Many of my subscribers and readers use brands that I have never heard of, or cannot get here in my area of Canada.

I have tried every vegetarian broth cube, powder and paste that I can find in my area-- without prejudice. By that I mean natural, not-so-natural, organic, not organic, etc...Broth powder has been problematic for me. The product you use should contribute full flavor, not just saltiness. Unfortunately, many vegetarian broth powders do not deliver in the flavor department! And, sadly, the major organic brands are inadequate--too salty and not enough real flavor.  I really like Seitenbacher vegetarian broth powder, a German Brand which is widely distributed in the USA. (See more info below.)



Brands of instant vegetarian broth, or bouillon, powders, pastes, and cubes seem to vary from region to region, even within North America. Many readers use brands that I have never heard of, or cannot get where I live in Western Canada. Fortunately, we can now order specific brands online if we can't convince our local grocer or health food store to carry the ones we like.

HERE ARE SOME THAT I LIKE:

#1 Seitenbacher Vegetarian Vegetable Broth and Seasoning Powder, a German brand which is widely distributed in the USA and in Europe. It is the #1 choice for the recipes in this book. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find it in Canada, but Canadians can order it from veganessentials and the shipping to Canada is very reasonable. 

Seitenbacher is MSG-free and "All natural; Vegan; No Gelatine; No Dairy; No Meat; No Eggs; No Artificial Flavor Enhancer; Fat Free; Cholesterol Free; Gluten Free; No Oil". (Another good MSG-free broth powder is Massel-- see below.)

#2: One of my favorite broth products--but not a powder: "Better than Bouillon" "No Chicken Vegan Base" (a paste) is delicious (and it's what I used in the soup above).  Ask your health food store or grocery store to carry it. "Better than Bouillon" also has a "No Beef Vegan Base", which is good, and a "Vegetable Base", which also comes in an organic variety, but, while it's good, I wasn't super-impressed with the Vegetable Base. (Unfortunately, their "Mushroom Base" contains dairy products.)

#3: "Massel Vegetable Style Stock Powder", all vegan, MSG-free, palm oil-free and gluten-free, now available in the US and Canada from VeganEssentials.com, and also from amazon.com and many kosher outlets. There is Vegetable-Style, Chicken-Style and Beef-Style, all vegan.  Massel broth powder contains no trans-fats, and has good flavor, without too much salt.

TIP: Broth cubes almost always contain palm oil.

#4: An excellent homemade alternative is my own broth powder mix. It's easy and cheap to make and has excellent flavor--but you must use 2 teaspoons for each cup of water. SEE RECIPE BELOW.

For 1 cup of broth , use 1 cup water and add: 
* 1 teaspoon Seitenbacher or Massel vegetarian broth/stock powder
* OR 1 teaspoon Superior Touch "Better than Bouillon" Vegan No-Chicken Base
* OR 2 teaspoons Bryanna's Homemade Broth Powder (see recipe below ) 



Here's my homemade broth powder:

Never heard of a "Nanaimo Bar"? Well, you kind of have to be Canadian! Named after the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia, which is just one hour's drive south of us on Vancouver island, they are a wildly popular item in coffee bars and during the Christmas holidays. The first time this square was published under that name was in the early 1950's in the Vancouver Sun newspaper. I believe it was for a recipe contest.

I've always thought these were way too sweet, so I've been promising myself to make what I call a "grown-up" version-- vegan, of course, less sweet, with better ingredients, a little Kahlua, and a modern touch. Yesterday I worked on this as a Valentine's Day treat for my sweetie, and...success! The recipe will be in a new book coming out at the end of 2010.

Here are the Nutrition Facts: Nutrition (per bar): 142.0 calories; 56% calories from fat; 9.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 100.3mg sodium; 45.9mg potassium; 13.7g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 6.2g sugar; 12.6g net carbs; 2.0g protein; 3.4 points.

I compared it with an ordinary Nanaimo bar and these have less sugar, less fat, NO cholesterol, and twice as much fiber and protein!



On a more practical level, I've been pretty busy with some deadlines, and some family stuff, so dinners have tended to be fast and simple. This is one quick meal we had on the spur of the moment:


"Breast of Tofu" Soft Tacos: corn tortillas heated quickly in a dry cast iron skillet, and filled with sliced pan-fried "Breast of Tofu" (which is in almost all of my books), organic baby greens, guacamole, vegan cheeze shreds (Galaxy Foods soy mozza singles, in this case), and salsa.


A plate of stir-fried asparagus and mushrooms with garlic, roast potatoes, and a zucchini "meatloaf" that I devised for the Fieldroast book I'm working on-- very yummy, like a "turkey" meatloaf!


Enjoy!

Image from ratical.org

NOTE: I FINALLY ORGANIZED THE RECIPE PAGE LINKS INTO CATEGORIES!

KUNG HEY FAH CHOY!* (*means “I wish you a prosperous New Year”)

This is my year! yes, I have to confess that I am a Rat! But:

"Being born a Rat is nothing to be ashamed of. In China, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person. It is deemed an honor to be born in the Year of the Rat and it is considered a privilege to be associated with a Rat. Rats know exactly where to find solutions and can take care of themselves and others without problems. They use their instinctive sense of observation to help others in times of need and are among the most fit of all the Animal signs to survive most any situation."

More about Rat personality and The Year of the Rat:
http://www.usbridalguide.com/special/chinesehoroscopes/Rat.htm
http://www.squidoo.com/2008YearoftheRat

Anyway, it is a time to party BIG TIME!

(We usually call this holiday "Chinese New Year", but actually, it is probably more accurate to say “the Lunar New Year”, because many Asian communities besides the Chinese celebrate it—- the Vietnamese, Korean, Laotian, Cambodian, and Tibetan people, particularly. Read more about the Lunar calendar here.)

It is actually two big celebrations in one—- New Year’s Day and everyone’s birthday! According to Chinese tradition, everyone adds one year to their age on New Year’s Day. It is also an important family get-together event, because one must try to see every family member face-to-face! Since Chinese families used to be large, and perhaps spread far apart, the New Year’s festivities used to last for a month, in order to see everyone! Now they generally last for about a week.

On New Year’s Eve there is a huge family feast for as many members of the family as possible. The children get to stay awake all night, because the Chinese believe that the longer the children stay awake, the longer their parents will live! (Better not let that get around!) Red is a good luck color, so you will see red everywhere. The table for the feast is set with a red cloth and red candles. And, surprise! THE NEW YEAR'S EVE MEAL IS A VEGETARIAN FEAST! No meat is served because harm would have to be caused to obtain meat and this would be bad luck (too bad this doesn’t extend to the rest of the year!).



Some Chinese New Year food customs:

Oranges and apples are the usual fruit, since apples are symbols of good luck and apples and oranges are both round (another lucky symbol) and are red and orange— colors of joy! Kumquats are another round, orange fruit that symbolize “golden luck”.

Fresh bean curd or tofu is not included as it is white and unlucky for New Year as the color signifies death and misfortune. Candied lotus seeds symbolize more sons; watermelon seeds more children. These days, gold-wrapped chocolate coins symbolize wealth. Candied lotus root is for endless friendship, and coconut for good relations between fathers and sons. Sweet things are for the sweetness of life; dumplings represent wealth, and romaine lettuce is for prosperity.

In other Asian communities that celebrate at the same time, many customs, such as cleaning the house, visiting, exchanging gifts of food and red envelopes of money, games of chance, fireworks, new clothes, etc.. are the same. Tibetans eat a special nine dumpling soup with fortune-telling tokens in them.

In Vietnamese communities, there is a two-day holiday called Tet. Homes are decorated with peach blossoms, which represent peace and luck. During the two days of celebration no real cooking is done-- snack foods (such as steamed rice cakes) and sweets are eaten. But on the day after the official celebration there is usually a big family meal with traditional foods such as spring rolls.

If you have a party, to find a book or website on Chinese horoscopes so that your guests can find their signs and predict their luck in the year ahead!

Read more about this holiday here.




A YUMMY DISH FOR ANY TIME OF THE YEAR

Below is a recipe that is one of DH's favorites, and very easy to make. I give you several options for the protein part of the dish, but our favorite is textured soy protein chunks. Now if you are under the impression that textured soy protein is not good for you, read on:

Actually, textured soy protein is simply de-fatted soy flour cooked with water, then extruded through machinery to make granules, chunks, cutlets, etc., then dehydrated.

Organic and/or solvent-free textured soy protein (TVP®, BTW, is the same thing, but it is a registered brand name, and is also the same thing as "textured vegetable protein" or TSP), is available!

(Updated Feb. 2014)
   Bob’s Red Mill: Organic and/or solvent-free
   textured soy protein (they call it “TSP), the
   granulated version only:
http://www.bobs-redmill.com

   Frontier Co-op: has unflavored organic
   textured soy protein in 2 different sizes:
   1/4-inch pieces (similar to granules) and
   1/2-inch pieces (small chunk):
http://www.frontiercoop.com

   The Mail-Order Catalog: carries a granulated
   version (“small bits”) and a chunk version (“Medium bits”):
   http://www.healthy-eating.com/category/soyfoods_organic_soy

So-Soya Slices is another product I like. (Pictured in the dish below.) If you are Canadian, you may be able to buy them from a Bulk Barn. They are GMO-free and can be purchased online at http://www.sosoyafoods.com/shop/

I also like a product called Soy Curls®, which is like stir-fry strips. It is made from the WHOLE soybean (non-GMO). It is very tender and great for stir-fries, etc. Since it contains the natural oil, I keep this dried product in the freezer. Soy Curls® are solvent-free, and I use the crumbs on the bottom of the box sort of like TVP granules.

As for commercial textured soy protein products, Nexsoy makes a commercial organic textured soy protein that manufacturers use for organic meat substitutes.

Here is what they say about their product:
"The unique Nexsoy® process is totally solvent-free, yielding a product line that is free of the "soy" taste that some consumers find unpalatable, leaving you free to work on developing your flavor, not masking agents. Traditionally, most soy ingredients are produced using a chemical solvent called hexane. This method is believed to be responsible for the "grassy" or "beany" flavor that has historically slowed the acceptance soyfoods. The Nexsoy® processing method is entirely mechanical and requires no chemicals such as hexane. This process is responsible for very neutral-tasting naturally-produced soy ingredients that can be used by food manufacturers without negatively impacting the flavor of their product."



Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CANTONESE-STYLE CRISPY "PORK" WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

This recipe, from my book "Authentic Chinese Cuisine for the Contemporary Kitchen", is more traditional than the usual pineapple version that North Americans are used to. It is one of the dishes I make once in a while with a fried ingredient because it is so good that way! I use a traditional wok for frying, because it is deep, but not wide, so you don't need to use cups and cups of oil. But there is another way as well!

NO-FRY OPTION: Dredge your chunks is the starch as usual.  Spread the chunks on a large cookie sheet sprayed with oil from an oil spray bottle/mister.  Spray the chunks with a little oil. Place about 6 inches under your oven's broiler.  Broil on high for several minutes (watching carefully so they don't scorch or burn) until they are crispy on top.  Turn them over and broil briefly until the 2nd side is crispy.  Remove from the broiler and proceed with the recipe.

2-3 cups reconstituted textured soy protein chunks (Cooking Tips below for how to reconstitute)
(See text above about organic textured soy protein chunks)
OR small chunks of seitan
OR reconstituted Soy Curls® (use 1 1/2 cups to 2 1/4 cups dry Soy Curls®, reconstituted for 5 minutes in an equal amount of boiling vegetarian broth; drain)

Cornstarch or water chestnut flour
oil
VEGETABLES:
1 Tbs oil
1 large onion, cut into 6ths, layers separated
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1" squares
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts (preferably fresh)
OR 1 large stalk celery, sliced 1/4" thick
1/4 cup frozen petit pois (baby peas) thawed in hot water and drained
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, chopped
COOKING SAUCE:
3 Tbs tomato sauce (or 1 and 1/2 Tbs EACH water and tomato paste)
2 Tbs rice vinegar, plain (or substitute cider vinegar or white wine vinegar)
2 Tbs light organic unbleached sugar
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
3/4 cup water
THICKENER:
1 Tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbs cold water

Roll the reconstituted soy protein (or seitan) chunks or Soy Curls® in cornstarch or water chestnut flour, shaking off the excess starch. Heat about a cup of oil in a large skillet, wok to 375°F.

Fry the chunks in several batches in the hot oil until they are golden and crispy, then drain them on paper towels on a cookie sheet. Keep them warm in a 200°F oven.

Heat a large wok, stir-fry pan or heavy skillet over high heat. When it's very hot, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, pepper, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry until the onion starts to turn translucent, adding a few drops of water, if necessary to keep from sticking. Add the water chestnuts or celery, and the peas, along with the Cooking Sauce. Bring this to a boil, then stir in the thickener. Stir until it thickens and quickly add the warm fried gluten or soy protein. Stir well to heat through and serve immediately with rice.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 352.4 calories; 41% calories from fat; 17.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 172.7mg sodium; 857.5mg potassium; 39.7g carbohydrates; 2.5g fiber; 11.4g sugar; 37.1g net carbs; 15.9g protein; 8.0 points.

Cooking Tips
HOW TO RECONSTITUTE TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN CHUNKS
Reconstitute the textured soy protein chunks by simmering 1 and 1/2 cups dry chunks in 3 cups water with 3 Tbs soy sauce, 3 Tbs ketchup or tomato paste, and 1 Tbs nutritional yeast flakes for 15-30 minutes, depending upon how tender you like them. Cool and store in the cooking broth. (I usually make 4 or more times this amount and freeze it in 2 cup portions.) Drain the chunks before using them, and pat them dry before coating with flour, frying, or marinating. This amount will yield about 2 cups reconstituted chunks.

Happy New Year!

I was contemplating a blog post on vegan Super Bowl food (no-- I'm not a football fan, but my husband is!), when I saw this article:

Manhattan vs. New England in Bloomberg Super Bowl chowder bet
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- A friendly Super Bowl wager between the mayors of New York and Boston is pitting Manhattan clam chowder against New England clam chowder.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino are doing more than rooting for their hometown teams in the game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots on Sunday.

In the bet placed Tuesday, the loser will donate local foods to charity in the other mayor's city.

If the Patriots win, that means Bloomberg will send a delivery to Boston that includes Manhattan clam chowder, pastrami sandwiches, New York pizzas, black and white cookies, New York steaks and a few gallons of lemon ice.

And if the Giants claim victory, Menino will send a package with New England clam chowder, Dunkin' Donuts coffee, Boston cream pies, chicken sausages and Brigham's ice cream.

Boston-born Bloomberg insists he is rooting for the Giants, and City Hall announced that the Empire State Building will glow blue this weekend to show solidarity for the team, which actually plays its games and practices in New Jersey.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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Combined with the fact that Super Bowl food tends to be greasy, salty and high-calories, I thought I'd offer you a few lower-fat options. (I heard on the radio that 7-Eleven stores report a 20% increase in the sale of antacids after the Super Bowl!) Since new England is playing New York, below are the recipes (from my vegan cookbook "20 Minutes to Dinner") for the vegan versions of New England chowder and Manhattan chowder. People tend to have a strong preference for one or the other, but I like both!  But first....

MORE LOWER-FAT SUPER BOWL RECIPES FOR VEGANS (UPDATED 2012): Check out the following lower-fat (and sometimes a little outside the traditional box) recipes for your vegan Super-Bowl party....

APPETIZERS, CONDIMENTS, SANDWICHES, WRAPS
Smoked Almond-Mushroom Pâté

MAINS
Prize-Winning Vegan Chile
Easy Tortilla Pie
Cast-Iron Pizza


BREADS AND SIDES
Creamy Corn Muffins

BEVERAGES, DESSERTS
Iced Chocolate Chai!
Vegan Chai Brownies with Ginger Gelato Big Chewy Chocolate Chunk and Pecan Cookies (lower-fat and whole grain)
Almost No-Fat Brownies
Banana S'More Panini
Rustic Apple-Raisin Pie with Low-Fat Olive Oil Pastry



So, choose your team, or your chowder...

Printable copy for both chowder recipes

BRYANNA'S NEW ENGLAND-STYLE SEA VEGETABLE CHOWDER (CAN BE SOY-FREE)
Servings: 6 
Dulse is a sea vegetable which is gathered on the Northeastern coast of North America, so I thought it would be an appropriate substitute for the clam flavor. This soup rivals calorie-rich and fat-laden version for flavor and texture. However, if you want some fat in this soup, saute the onions in a couple of a little dark sesame oil, which lends a rich, smokey flavor.

1 large onion, chopped
4 medium (1 lb. total) waxy potatoes (such as red ones), peeled and diced
2 cups vegetarian broth
1-2 cups chopped oyster mushrooms or white mushrooms
OR 1/2 cup dry textured soy protein (TSP or TVP) granules OR Soy Curls crumbles) mixed with 1/2 cup boiling water
OR 1 cup seitan OR reconstituted Soy Curls (butlerfoods.com), in small dice
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup crumbled dry dulse (or 1/4 cup dulse flakes)-- dulse is a sea vegetable
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs vegan bacon chips
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp kelp powder
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
paprika or smoked paprika
Blended Mixture:
1cup + 2 Tbs crumbled, packed extra-firm SILKEN tofu
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar or alternate

In a medium-sized heavy pot, steam-fry the onions (See Cooking Tips below for how to steam-fry-- there is an option to steam-fry in a microwave, if you prefer)  for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add all ingredients except pepper, paprika, and Blended Mixture. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, whip the Blended Mixture ingredients in a blender until VERY smooth. When the potatoes are soft, stir in the Blended Mixture, add pepper to taste, and heat gently. Add more broth if it's too thick. Sprinkle each serving with paprika. Serve with crackers.

TO MAKE SOY-FREE: In the Blended Mixture, omit tofu and use 1 cup cooked short grain rice and 1/4 cup raw cashews (this adds about 10 g fat to the entire recipe).

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 172.7 calories; 8% calories from fat; 1.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 690.3mg sodium; 621.0mg potassium; 27.5g carbohydrates; 2.5g fiber; 3.0g sugar; 25.1g net carbs; 13.4g protein; 3.1 points.

Cooking Tips
****BRYANNA'S METHOD OF STEAM-FRYING*****
One term that you will often see in my recipes is "steam-fry". It simply means sautéing or stir-frying without fat. To do this, use a heavy skillet or stir-fry pan, lightly greased with about 1/2 tsp. of oil.

Heat the pan over high heat, add the chopped onions or other vegetables and one or two tablespoons of liquid (water, broth or wine), depending on the amount of vegetables. Cook over high heat until the liquid starts to evaporate, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon. Keep doing this until the vegetables are done to your liking, add JUST ENOUGH liquid to keep the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pan-- you don't want to stew them!

You can brown onions perfectly by this method. As soon as the natural sugar in the onions starts to brown on the bottom and edges of the pan, add a little liquid and scrape the brown stuff, mixing it into the liquids and around into the cooking onions. Keep doing this until the onions are soft and brown, being careful not to scorch them.

TO "STEAM-FRY" IN A MICROWAVE OVEN, use a round microwave-proof, covered 10" casserole dish. Add your chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery, etc.. Cover and microwave 5 minutes, or however long it takes to soften them. You can't actually brown onions, etc, this way, but you can thoroughly cook them through with this method and then finish browning them in a non-stick skillet.  It works wonderfully well  and you don't have to watch the veggies-- you can be preparing the rest of the recipe. Just add the softened veggies to the recipe.



BRYANNA'S MANHATTAN-STYLE SEA-VEGETABLE CHOWDER 
Servings: 6 
For devotees of the tomato-ey version, a spicy, vegetable-thick chowder. This soup is actually a derivation of an Italian soup. Some historians say that Manhattan clam chowder was originally called Coney Island Clam Chowder and/or Fulton Market Clam Chowder. Both of these names were used in the 1890s.

The cookbooks written by Alessandro Filippini and Charles Ranhofer, who both worked at the famous Delmonico's Restaurant in New York at different times, were considered as most important cook books in modern cooking. They both contained versions of a tomato-based clam chowder. Since nearly everything that Delmonico's Restaurant served was widely imitated, it is certain that several New York upscale restaurants probably sold a version of tomato-based clam chowder, today known as Manhattan Clam Chowder.

This soup is virtually fat-free. If you would like to add some fat to this soup, saute the vegetables in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil with a few drops of dark sesame oil.

1 large onion, peeled and chunked
1 large carrot, peeled and chunked
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 large green pepper, seed and diced
3 cup vegetarian broth
1/ 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 medium waxy (red) potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
OR 1/2 cup dry textured soy protein granules (TSP or TVP OR SoyCurls crumbles) mixed with 1/2 cup boiling water
OR 1 cup seitan OR reconstituted Soy Curls (butlerfoods.com), in small dice
1/2 cup dry crumbled dulse (or 1/4 cup dulse flakes)-- dulse is a sea vegetable
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp kelp powder
pinch cayenne pepper and freshly-ground black pepper
OPTIONAL: 1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup dry white wine OR white vermouth
1 Tbs vegan bacon bits

Mince the onion, carrot and garlic in the food processor, or by hand. Steam-fry the minced vegetables for about 5 minutes  (See Cooking Tips above in New England Chowder recipe for how to steam-fry-- there is an option to steam-fry in a microwave, if you prefer) , or until softened. Add all the ingredients to a medium soup pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 124.3 calories; 5% calories from fat; 0.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 655.8mg sodium; 770.2mg potassium; 23.2g carbohydrates; 3.9g fiber; 7.1g sugar; 19.3g net carbs; 6.7g protein; 1.8 points.

Cheers!