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

What a beautiful soup, in every way-- sweet-and-sour deliciousness, and vibrant hot pink color with contrasting flecks of green. It’s a meal in itself, and very easy to make.  I developed my vegan version of this traditional Iraqi recipe during the last war in Iraq.  I was so upset about the war and the devastation and my feelings of helplessness around it that I began researching Iraqi history, culture and, of course, cuisine, which goes back some 3,000 years to the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians and ancient Persians. When Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258), this sophisticated cuisine was at its zenith.

This soup always reminds me of that sorrowful time, but it's beauty, healthfulness and delicious taste reminds me that peace is worth striving for.  It also is a great illustration of how food can bring us together at the global table, celebrating our differences and our similarities.  And it is also an excellent example of how very simple, common ingredients (except, perhaps, for the pomegranate molasses, which is common in the Middle East and now becoming better known in North America) can be used to create a sublime eating experience.



Printable Recipe

NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED A MILL TO MAKE THESE RECIPES!  YOU CAN USE PURCHASED CHICKPEA FLOUR.

Chickpea flour hummus??  I must admit that I had that type of response when I got my new WonderMill Electric Grain & Bean Mill and the company owner asked me if I might be willing to devise a good recipe for hummus made with chickpea flour. I can now mill fresh in my new machine because it has a new Bean Adapter and also a Small Grain Adapter-- see photos below. (PS: The Bean Adapter is very new, so enquire about it via the Wondermill website.)



Frankly, it sounded yucky to me!  But, I looked it up on the Internet and there were quite a few recipes and some good reviews (not all, but I'll get to that later), so I figured it was worth a try. But first I wanted to grind some chickpea flour and see what it was like. I was told in the video that John provides online to use the "coarse" setting, which seems odd at first because you want the flour to be fine. (NOTE: this video was made before he developed the Bean Adapter  I have-- he is using a prototype made with a small plastic cup, but the idea and the method is the same.) But, I followed the directions and was rewarded with this lovely powdery-fine flour:


In the recipes for chickpea flour hummus I read online, several bloggers complained about whisking the flour into the hot water-- it got lumpy and hard to stir. It also seemed to take quite a long time to cook- about 15 minutes.  Not great for a recipe that is supposed to save time. I had some ideas for remedying both problems, but you'll see what I did in the recipe. Other bloggers seemed to have problems with it being too thick, even solid. I like my hummus very creamy-smooth, NOT thick and pasty, so I knew I'd have to work on that.

And then there was the taste.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew what I wanted.  Using my No Oil Hummus recipe (it does contain tahini) as a guide (but not sure of amounts), I achieved what I had in mind in two tries-- not bad! I ended up needing to use a little more tahini, lemon juice and seasonings than in my recipe using whole cooked chickpeas.

I think this stream-lined recipe is excellent (and one I will be repeating often), but you might be asking, "Why use chickpea flour-- why not just use chickpeas, as usual?"  I think the concept came from food storage circles-- a way to use dried beans with less cooking time and water, perhaps.  And, of course, even if you aren't into emergency preparedness food storage, you might like to save water and energy (the fuel kind, I mean!)  But, for the average person, I think it's just another handy option if you want hummus, but you don't have any canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans in the house and you don't have time to cook them, you don't have a pressure cooker, etc.. (And, believe me, no store-bought hummus is as good as homemade!)

Of course, you don't have to grind your own chickpea flour (though a mill is worth saving up for if you use different types of flours and eat lots of whole grains and legumes, and it will save you money in the long run). You can keep a bag of chickpea/garbanzo bean flour (also called besan), double-bagged, in your freezer (to prevent rancidity) for just this sort of recipe.


The second recipe below was a spur-of-the-moment lunch that I made with some of the first batch of Chickpea Flour Hummus I made.  I felt like making a quick pasta dish with some snap peas and other vegetables I had around.  I was about to make a creamy pasta sauce with some homemade pesto and silken tofu when it occurred to me that the garlicky, lemony creamy pesto sauce I had in mind could be made with some of the smooth and creamy hummus that I had just made with chickpea flour.  After all, I had made creamy sauces from cooked beans before, hadn't I?  So, that's what I did and it was delicious! In fact, it gave me some ideas for making more sauces with bean flour, so stay tuned.

So, here's my new Hummus recipe..


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S SMOOTH AND CREAMY CHICKPEA FLOUR HUMMUS
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
The seasonings in this recipe are my preference-- you can play around with them to suit your own taste.

2 3/4 cups cold water
3/4 cup chickpea/garbanzo flour (besan), freshly-ground or commercial
NOTE: Store chickpea/garbanzo bean flour (also called besan), double-bagged, in your freezer to keep it fresh.
5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (or bottled organic)
1/4 cup tahini
2-3 large cloves garlic, peeled1 1/2 tsp fine salt
3/4 tsp ground cumin
large pinch cayenne
Possible Garnishes:extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle over the top
paprika or smoked paprika (hot or sweet)
chopped fresh parsley or parsley sprigs
chopped green onions
toasted pine nuts or almonds
grated organic lemon zest
See this post for Hummus flavor variations, using slightly larger amounts than those given


Place the water and chickpea flour into your blender container and blend at medium-high speed until well- blended.  Pour into a microwave-proof 2 qt. batter bowl or something similar.  Microwave at 100% power for 3 minutes.  Using a large whisk, whisk vigorously to make a smooth mixture.  Microwave for another 3 minutes at 100% power and repeat whisking.  Microwave for 2 minutes at 50% power and whisk again. NOTE: If you don't have a microwave, you will have to cook the blended mixture in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until it has thickened, whisking all the time so that it doesn't stick or clump. This may take up to 15 minutes. (Afraid of microwave ovens?  Please read this document I have compiled.)

The mixture will foam up while it cooks in the microwave and then "deflate". You can see in the picture below how the mixture rose up the sides and then down again.


Scoop the mixture into a shallow bowl or baking dish.  If you aren't in a hurry, place it in the refrigerator until it has cooled and is a rather solid mass.  To speed up this process, place your dish in the freezer.  This took about 45 minutes cooling time for me.  Make sure the mixture is a cool solid mass and not runny and warm.

Now, break up the chickpea flour mixture and place it in a blender or food processor, along with lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin and cayenne. Blend or process until the mixture is very smooth and creamy. Place in a bowl and cool down to room temperature before serving, or refrigerate for future use.

IMPORTANT: The mixture will firm up a bit, so, before spreading it in a shallow serving bowl (like a soup plate) for serving, whisk it vigorously to make it creamy again.

Nutrition Facts:
Nutrition (per 1/4 cup serving): 52.8 calories; 45% calories from fat; 2.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 243.8mg sodium; 79.6mg potassium; 5.2g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 0.8g sugar; 4.1g net carbs; 2.2g protein; 1.1 points.

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 And here's that pasta recipe featuring the Hummus Pesto Sauce...

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 361.1 calories; 11% calories from fat; 4.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 388.1mg sodium; 502.5mg potassium; 64.3g carbohydrates; 5.5g fiber; 3.0g sugar; 58.8g net carbs; 14.8g protein; 6.8 points.

I apologize for not blogging for so long!  Since (Canadian) Thanksgiving, we've had lots of family staying over, in and out, and I've been just keeping up with work and day-to-day stuff.  Consequently, I've done more quantity cooking than innovative cooking, and made many dishes from leftovers and/or foods that need to be used up.  But I did make a few dishes which were tasty enough to jot down (and take some pictures), and I'd like to share two of them with you today. One is based on chanterelle mushrooms, which are in abundance here right now, and the other on one of my current favorite vegetables-- leeks.  Leeks are so delicious, and not only in soup!  When roasted, they are out of this world!

The first recipe is a soup I made with chanterelle mushrooms picked here on Denman Island, BC.  If you don't have chanterelles, use any favorite mushroom instead.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CREAMY MUSHROOM AND QUINOA SOUP

Serves 6 (Can be GF and/or Soy-Free)

Light and a bit sohisticated, but satisfying.

3/4 lb. mushrooms (preferably chanterelles, but use whatever variety available to you), cleaned

1 Tbsp oil or vegan butter (try my homemade vegan palm oil-free Buttah)

salt
1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped vegan "ham" OR 1/4 cup vegan bacon bits soaked in 1/4 cup very hot water

(For GF and/or Soy-Free, you may have to use homemade Shiitake "Bacon", chopped)

3 Tbsp dry sherry (or non-alcoholic white wine)

1 Tbsp unbleached flour (can be GF)

1 tsp. dried thyme leaves (or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh)

4 cups "chickeny" vegan broth + 1  extra tsp. broth paste or powder (I like Better Than Bouillon Vegan No-Chicken Broth Paste)

1 cup whole cooked or canned white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cooked or canned white kidney or cannellini, rinsed, drained and pureed with a bit of the broth until creamy (use a hand/immersion blender or regular blender)

NOTE: Other beans  you could use would be Great Northern or small white beans

To Finish:

1/2 cup So Delicious Original Coconut Milk Creamer (or other favorite non-sweet  vegan creamer)

2 cups cooked quinoa (or 1/2 quinoa and 1/2 medium bulgur or millet)

Slice the mushrooms.  Heat the oil or butter in a large heavyskillet over high heat.  Add the mushrooms, salt lightly, and turn the heat down to medium-high.  Saute until the mushrooms exude their juice.  Add the onion and garlic and keep sauteing (adding small squirts of water as needed to keep from sticking).  When the onion is soft, stir in the flour until well mixed. Stir in a little of the broth to distribute the flour throughout the mixture. Scrape all the contents of the skillet into a soup pot with the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT for the creamer and quinoa). Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Stir in the creamer and the cooked quinoa.  Taste for salt.  Serve hot.

Note: If leftover soup gets too thick, add a bit more creamer or any plain nondairy milk.

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Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S GARLICKY ROASTED LEEK AND CAULIFLOWER PASTA WITH KALAMATA OLIVES AND CREAMY LOWFAT PASTA SAUCE (can be GF and/or Soy-Free)
Serves 6
The roasted vegetables add so much flavor to the simple sauce and pasta-- you'll be amazed! Not much oil is needed for roasting the vegetables and the sauce is very low in fat, BTW.

Make ahead and set aside: 1 recipe Bryanna's Low-Fat Quick Creamy Sauce for Pasta (recipe here)
NOTE: Use the wine option in the recipe (can be non-alcoholic) and also the miso option.  Use the tahini also, if possible.
3 large leeks, or 4 medium leeks
12 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
about 8 oz. of cauliflower, trimmed and sliced to make about 4 cups
olive oil
salt
1/2 to 1 cup of vegan "Chickeny" broth (I like Better Than Bouillon Vegan No-Chicken Broth Paste)
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise
12 oz. dry farfalle (butterfly or bowtie pasta-- can be GF variety)
salt and pepper
Go Veggie! Soy Parmesan or other favorite vegan parmesan

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Cut off the very dark green parts of the leeks (I save them to add to other soups) and trim away the root ends. Cut the white parts in half lengthwise and clean them thoroughly under cold running water. Place them cut-side-up in a large baking pan oiled with olive oil.  Nestle the garlic slices around the leeks. Spray with olive oil from a pump-sprayer  and sprinkle with salt.

Place the cauliflower slices in another oiled baking pan and spray with olive oil from a pump sprayer. Sprinkle with salt.  Add 1/2 cup of the broth.  Place both pans, uncovered, in the hot oven.

While the vegetables roast, heat salted water for the pasta in a large pot.  When it boils, add the pasta and cook about 10 minutes, or until "al dente".

Keep an eye on the vegetables.  I stirred the cauliflower around a bit-- the broth should evaporate and some of the cauliflower will brown, but add more broth if necessary to tenderize it.  I didn't stir the leeks-- they gave off enough juice to keep them moist and brown them and the garlic nicely, as you can see below.

Chop the roasted garlic and slice the roasted leeks:

When the pasta is cooked and drained, add it back to the drained pasta pot, along with the roasted vegetables, olives and the pasta sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in shallow pasta dishes with vegan parmesan to sprinkle on top.

Enjoy!

Phoebe

Lobster Mushroom & Corn Chowder

Lobster Mushrooms

We picked some more lobster mushrooms on our walk this morning (got some chanterelles yesterday!), so I decided to make a creamy chowder with some of them.  I wanted the chowder to be creamy but low in fat, so I decided to make a "cream" with cooked white beans, instead of using tofu or cashews.  It worked beautifully and was perfect for sunny, but chilly, October day.

I know that lobster mushrooms are not available to everyone (especially for free!), so you could substitute oyster mushrooms for them if they are easier for you to find.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA’S LOBSTER MUSHROOM AND CORN CHOWDER WITH WHITE BEAN "CREAM"
(PS: Substitute oyster mushrooms for lobster mushrooms if they are more easily obtainable)

Serves 4-6  Low-fat, GF and can be Soy-free

1 large onion, chopped

3 cups water

2 tablespoons dulse flakes

1 tablespoon low-salt vegan “chicken” broth powder or paste

4 medium yellow potatoes (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut in 1/2” dice

1 1/2 cups chopped sautéed lobster mushrooms (see PS above)

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed in hot water and drained

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon vegan bacon chips

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

White Bean "Cream":

1 cup rinsed and drained cooked or canned white beans

1 cup plain non-dairy milk of choice

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Finishing:

freshly-ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

smoked paprika

Sautéed lobster mushroom pieces-- chop them smaller after cooking

In a medium non-stick skillet, steam-fry (see Cooking Tip below) the onions over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes, adding a squirt of water as needed, until softened. (OR, what I do-- place the onions in a covered microwave-safe casserole or dish and cook on 100% power in the microwave oven for 5 minutes.)

While they cook, bring the water, dulse flakes and broth powder to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Simmer at medium heat for about  5 minutes. Strain off the dulse flakes through as fine a strainer as you have and discard the dulse.  Strain the liquid once again through a fine tea strainer into a 1 quart measuring pitcher. Add water if necessary to make 2 1/2 cups. Pour the broth back into the pot (which you have rinsed out).

Add all the ingredients to the pot, EXCEPT the White Bean "Cream" ingredients and the pepper, sesame oil and paprika. Simmer the mixture, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, process the White Bean "Cream" ingredients in a blender or with a hand/immersion blender, until VERY smooth. When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf, stir in the White Bean "Cream",  add pepper to taste, and the sesame oil, and heat gently. Taste for salt. Sprinkle each serving with smoked paprika.

Cooking Tips

HOW TO STEAM-FRY

You will often see the term "steam-fry" in my recipes. Here is a description of what it is and how to do it.

METHOD OF STEAM-FRYING:

"Steam-fry" simply means sautéing without fat. To do this, use a heavy skillet  (use non-stick, hard-anodized aluminum [aluminum does not leak into food when it is hard-anodized], or cast iron), or a well-seasoned spun-steel wok or stir-fry pan, sprayed lightly with oil from a pump sprayer, or with cooking spray, if needed.

Heat the pan over high heat, add the chopped onions or other vegetables, and one or two tablespoons of liquid (water, low-sodium vegetarian broth, or wine), depending on the amount of vegetables. Do not crowd the pan, or your vegetables will "stew". Cook over high heat until the liquid starts to evaporate, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon. Keep stirring until the vegetables are done to your liking, adding JUST ENOUGH liquid to keep the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pan. (I use a squirt bottle.)

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 up the brown bits, mixing them 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 THE MICROWAVE, use a glass dish, such as a round 10" Pyrex casserole dish or pie plate. Spray with oil from a pump sprayer or cooking spray. Add the chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery, or whatever vegetables you want to sautè. Cover the dish with a glass lid or microwavable plate, and microwave 5 minutes, or however long it takes to soften them. This method is convenient because you don't have to watch the vegetables- you can be preparing the rest of the recipe while they cook. Just add the softened vegetables to the recipe.

Enjoy!

Dessert-- Chinotto Cake! UPDATE FOR CANADIANS 2021: Since Nestle took over San Pelligrino in North America some years ago, Chinotto is harder to find in Canada.  There are some other brands, however, such as Brio brand, from Ontario, which I understand is a little sweeter than San Pelligrino, and Walmart Canada carries it. amazon.ca carries Niasca Portofino Chinotto at a decent price, but I haven't tried it yet.  The San Pelligrino version is still available in the US and Australia, as far as I can tell. amazon.com carries it. amazon.com also sells an organic brand:  Galvanina Chinotto, Premium Organic Italian Sparkling Soda; 12 fl oz (12 bottles) There seem to be many places that sell chinotto in Australia (though, not necessarily San Pelligrino). Just Google "buy chinotto australia". **********

Last Saturday was our 22nd anniversary, so I made a lovely meal using, for the most part, recipes and inspiration from my friend and fellow Vegan Heritage Press author, Betsy DiJulio, author of the wonderful book, "The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes" and creator of exceptional recipes on her blog, The Blooming Platter. Betsy, who is an artist and art teacher, has such a way with color,texture and combinations of flavors-- she's an artist in the kitchen as well as at her easel or in the classroom.

I was not able to get off island for special ingredients, so I chose the recipes according to what I had in my pantry, garden, refrigerator and freezer.




For our starter, I made two spreads to serve on rye crisp crackers:
Orange-Scented Olive, Parsley & Sundried Tomato Tapenade (made with our homegrown Italian parsley) and White Bean "Cheese" (from The Blooming Platter Cookbook)

Enjoy!