VeganMoFo: Pumpkin (and Other Orange Delights) October 3, 2009
Posted by a-k in baking, beans and legumes, soup, veganmofo.30 comments
Tonight I found myself alone for dinner at the start of a seldom-experienced three-day weekend with chilly damp temperatures outside and no money to spend. Luckily I was loaded up with CSA veggies, recently rehydrated cannellini beans, and a lot of baking ingredients. I got to bust out my newly acquired vintage holiday-themed Pyrex lidded casserole dish*, and stuff it with whole cloves of garlic, carrots, onions, jalapenos and olive oil. Once sufficiently roasted, I added it to a pot with the aforementioned beans, fresh rosemary and sage from my humble container garden, and some veggie stock. I pureed it with my immersion blender and topped it with more garden-fresh parsley and fresh pepper and warmed my belly:
But wait! There’s more to this dinner. For a few weeks I’ve been imagining how good it would be to have not just cornbread, but pumpkin cornbread, and not just pumpkin cornbread, but maple-glazed pumpkin cornbread. That’s like the triumvirate of delicious fall goodness, am I right? So I played around a little with a plain cornbread recipe and stuck it in the oven and later pulled out a lovely golden-orange pan of pumpkin cornbread, brushed a piece with maple syrup, and stuck it under the broiler for a few minutes. Behold:
I ate it with greens and a beet vinaigrette (made from the juices leftover from roasting beets in olive oil and some balsamic), and the cornbread was moist and fluffy and gloriously soft, and the maple had caramelized and smelled like marshmallows when I pulled it out from the broiler. I really want to give you this recipe, but the only problem was it didn’t taste sufficiently pumpkin-y to me. I’ve already talked up this idea to people at work, so I have to remake it until I get it right in order to share it with the coworkers I managed to impress with my enthusiasm. Which means then I will get it posted here. Oh, and did I mention it is maple-sweetened and relatively low-fat? Oh yes.
And, because I can’t leave well enough alone, I had to go and use the leftover canned pumpkin in a Vita-Mix ice cream concoction. Using frozen bananas as a base, I added the pumpkin, raisins (for sweetness), vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger. I suppose I could have used some nutmeg and gone for the whole pumpkin pie experience, but it was pretty darn tasty as is.
Don’t you just love fall? Orange makes me feel so warm and comfy, which is good considering it’s about 45 degrees outside and our radiators haven’t been turned on. The weather a week ago was, believe it or not, quite warm and t-shirt and shorts-worthy. In case you thought I was totally crazy, I ate the ice cream in front of a space heater wearing a sweater and my special ladyfriend’s big comfy slippers (I have no slippers of my own, sniff).
I’m already dreaming about using the leftover pumpkin cornbread for a delicious weekend brunch bread pudding. I love it when I already have magical new uses in mind for leftovers, instead of consuming them in a (sometimes) less ideal day-old state, or letting them become science experiments because I want something new and different the next day. Hooray for foresight!
*More on this casserole dish and other delicious vintage things later in the month…
More Test Recipes and Fun with Adzuki Beans April 28, 2009
Posted by a-k in beans and legumes, burgers and patties, cake, mexican food, recipe.21 comments
Herb Sprouts!
A lot of people have been posting their happy spring pictures, but things get started a little bit later up here in Minnesota. I noticed buds on the trees and new grass about a week ago, and above you see the start of some herbs for a container garden I’m planning to tend this year. I love fresh herbs, but hate having to buy those little plastic containers when you need far more or far less than they contain. This will be perfect for adding to salads or seasoning soups or garnishing dishes. Yum!
Another thing I’ve been getting back into after the hubbub of zine activity and health recovery is testing for Terry’s upcoming Vegan Latina cookbook. This weekend I made Black Bean and Plantain Pupusas with Simple Latin Tomato Sauce:
Black Bean and Plantain Pupusas with Simple Latin Tomato Sauce
These were so fun to shape! It was very therapeutic. They’re lovely with a side of Pickled Red Onions or Salvadorian Slaw and some avocados. I also took a stab at tamales for the first time today. They’re definitely not quick to make, but they didn’t take as long as I was expecting… plus you make so many, you get to freeze the delicious leftovers for later! This is the Sweet Potato and Black Bean version, spiced up with some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce; I had mine with a big green salad.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tamales
As a result of some mis-preparation for a weekend of testing recipes, we ended up with a potful of adzuki beans (in fact, you can see a couple above in the tamale that I had to use to make up for a bit of black bean lackage). I’ve been trying to come up with different ways to use these little fellas, since a lot of cookbooks don’t include recipes that make use of them. Or enough use, anyway. Red bean paste is a big hit when googling, but I didn’t feel like deep-frying sesame balls (although I have fond memories of them). I though, instead of making red bean paste and stuffing something, why not just add some beans to a cake batter? Crazy? Perhaps. I made a small batch in case it was horrible, but it was quite delicious to my surprise. The texture is definitely different, and I’m not sure how much the idea of beaned spice cake appeals to anyone, but I’m gonna tweak this a bit and post a recipe soon if it works a second time. I made an orange glaze and sprinkled the mini cakes with toasted sesame seeds, and we ate all of them except this one before I thought to snap a photo:
Spiced Adzuki Bean Cake
Another thing I ended up making is a burger of sorts. This isn’t the kind of firm burger you can hold in your hand and shake at people (not without pieces of it flying at them, anyway), but it’s super flavorful and a nice change from “meaty” or Mexican-style bean burgers. There’s kale and bell peppers for color, ginger, garlic, and tahini for flavor, and more sesame seeds for a little crunch – I went with a mix of white and black, just for fun. If you wanted something firmer you could probably add breadcrumbs or gluten, but I was trying to stay gluten-free and soy-free, and I thought it was just fine as a light lunch with some leaf lettuce. As an added bonus, it doesn’t have any added salt, either (the celery and kelp flakes take care of the sodium). A simple Asian style sauce would go well with it, but it’s pretty moist on its own. This isn’t the best picture, but it gives you a sense of what you’re in for should you take the plunge!
Spicy Sesame Adzuki Bean Burger
Spicy Sesame Adzuki Bean Burger (makes 6-7 patties)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 lb. yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 an onion)
3 stalks celery, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
3 c stemmed, chopped kale
2 2/3 c cooked and drained adzuki beans, divided
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp water, or as needed
1/2 tsp kelp granules
1/4 c or more sesame seeds (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 and lightly oil a baking sheet.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion, celery, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and beginning to brown (about 5 minutes). Stir in the bell pepper and kale and cook, covered, until kale has wilted (another 5 minutes or so). Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, puree 2 cups of the adzuki beans, tahini, and water in a food processor. It doesn’t have to be completely smooth, but make sure the ingredients are well incorporated. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the veggie mixture, kelp granules and remaining 2/3 c whole adzuki beans. Sprinkle sesame seeds on a large plate, if using. Using wet hands, scoop out about 1/2-3/4 c of the mixture and form into a ball. Flatten slightly and press into sesame seeds if using, then transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through, or until a slight crust has formed.
Get It Ripe by jae steele January 28, 2009
Posted by a-k in baking, beans and legumes, breakfast, cake, cookbooks, dessert, grains and flours, muffins, salad, soup, vegetables.23 comments
Adzuki-Squash Soup with Chipotle and Red Peppers and green salad with Molasses Cornbread
You know when you get a cookbook and you read it from cover to cover and cradle it in your arms and wanna marry it? Uh… me neither; isn’t that a weird idea?
Okay, so it’s really mostly true. I heard about Get It Ripe in the Post Punk Kitchen forums awhile back and have been waiting patiently for my co-op or one of the local bookstores or our little vegan boutique to carry it. But months went by and I couldn’t find it. I satisfied curiousities by visiting jae’s blog and have made her recipe for maple flax cookies several times (including a fruit-filled thumbprint version for the flaming cabbage soiree), and they were so good and her vision about food so in line with my own, I finally ordered a copy from Herbivore.
Crispy Fried Tofu over dandelion greens
jae is a holistic nutritionist and has spent a lot of time on farms and in communities/co-ops. So what you get is not only a ton of tasty recipes, but a wealth of information on healthy foods, digestion, cleansing/detoxing, organic and local farming, food preparation and baking techniques. This is the kind of cookbook I’ve been looking for for a long time! These are just a few pictures of the gajillion things I’ve made from it in less than a week!
Adzuki-Squash Soup with Chipotle and Red Peppers
So smoky and warm and simple and yummy!
Molasses Cornbread and mixed greens
We had this on the side of the soup, which was sophisticatedly sweetened and the best cornbread I’ve ever had (or made).
Pesto White Bean Bowl
This was quick to make, full of flavor, and full of greens! (My favorite part of the cookbook)
Appleyest Spice Cake drizzled with barley malt syrup
There’s some “naughty” stuff in there too (meaning dessert), but it’s full of non-wheat and non-white sugar recipes, which really makes me happy. This cake was so light and fluffy and without a lot of fat or sugar (Sucanat, in this case).
Slice of Appleyest Spice Cake
Behold the tender crumb!
A Birthday Dinner November 6, 2008
Posted by a-k in baking, beans and legumes, cake, chocolate, cookbooks, dessert, parties and happenings, ppk, protein alternatives, salad, sauces and spices, tempeh, the millenium cookbook, vegetables.16 comments
Rum Raisin Bundt Cakes, Coconut-Vanilla-Cashew Cheesecake, and German Chocolate Cake
So, remember how in my last post I said I was reducing my sugar intake except for holidays and special occasions? This was a very special occasion: my ladyfriend’s 28th birthday! We had our good friends Michael and Dan over and it was a gay ol’ party (I mean that in both senses)!
While I kept most of the dinner a secret until the evening of, I tried really hard to think about what Angela would want and like. I mean, she likes just about everything I make her, but after last year’s scuffle with the vegan cake I made her (she hadn’t yet been convinced that vegan baking was delicious), I tried to be very considerate in not making anything too out there. I may have gone a bit too far with the raw cheesecake I made, but it was my least favorite (though certainly not inedible) of the desserts, too.
Tamari-Roasted Chickpeas from ED&BV
All the preparation started on Monday, when I baked the layers and filling for the German Chocolate Cake from the Artful Vegan (the Millenium restaurant’s second cookbook), made a gallon of vegetable stock, marinated and baked three packages of tempeh, made the raw cheesecake, and prepared a batch of Cranberry-Ginger Dressing (from the first Millenium cookbook). Tuesday I actually ended up taking a break from all of it because I was so tired and totally stressed out about the election (even though I am not particularly into mainstream politics), but on Wednesday I made the Rum Raisin cupcakes from VCTOTW in bundt form AND assembled the other two desserts before going to work. Once home from work it was chopping vegetables and stirring risotto and cooking a mushroom sauce for the tempeh while a big batch of Tamari-Roasted Chickpeas baked in the oven as a pre-dinner snack, and sauteeing kale and grilling the tempeh and finally assembling the plates. Whew! I’m tired just remembering it all.
Mixed greens with Cranberry-Ginger Dressing
Grilled tempeh with rosemary-dijon-mushroom sauce, butternut squash and sage risotto, and balsamic-sauteed kale.
It was a delicious success! We started with the chickpeas and a mixed baby green salad tossed in the Cranberry-Ginger Dressing and topped with fresh pears. I do think I’m a bit used to fatty dressings (this one had no oil or other fat) so I though it was a bit acidic, but no one left any behind. Dinner included of butternut squash and sage risotto which I based on the PPK recipe; I also added some black truffle oil for extra-specialness. I sauteed kale in olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a side, but the most delicious part in my mind was the tempeh. I used the recipe from the Millenium cookbook for baked marinated tempeh, which I then grilled and topped with a rosemary-dijon-mushroom sauce (this was an on-the-spot invention). Everything was rich and warm and flavorful, and I kind of wish I’d made more! But we wouldn’t have had any room for it, because dessert was CRAZY.
Rum Raisin mini bundt cakes
There were a few different kinds of cakes Angela had mentioned over the past few months, and that gave me the idea to make a bunch of miniature cakes in different flavors rather than one single large dessert. This was a bit of insurance as well, since she was sure to like at least one of them! All the desserts were made using 4″ diameter cake pans and halving most of the recipes I was using (though that ended up being not quite small enough in most instances and I had to eat up some extras), which included: mini German Chocolate Cake from the Artful Vegan, mini Rum Raisin bundt cakes from the VCTOTW cookbook, and a raw cheesecake based on this slightly cult-ish internet video I found (the actual recipe directions were fine, but the surrounding contents were pretty … uh … creepy quotes and footage from some channel called “Supreme Master TV”).
Leaning tower of German Chocolate Cake from the Artful Vegan
Portions for everyone were devoured while watching VHS tapes of Bollywood montages which were AMAZING. I’ve still got mountains of dishes to do today (and I really don’t want to do them!), but they were worth it for a tasty evening and a happy girlfriend. Hooray birthdays!
***Thank you to everyone for your supportive comments about my last post! Once I’m back in business I hope my attempts to be healthier will be reflected… I’ve got a load of ideas waiting to get tested out. Including my first attempt at a lentil bolognese, seen here over spaghetti squash:
Lentil Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash
PPK Cookbook Challenge: Yellow Rose Recipes September 10, 2008
Posted by a-k in beans and legumes, cookbooks, grains and flours, noodles and pasta, tofu, vegetables, yellow rose recipes.6 comments
Yellow Rose Recipes Kasha Varnishkes with Broiled Asparagus
A challenge was put forth over on the PPK to make three recipes (or more) from a selected cookbook over a week. Because of the moving and such, this is actually the third week of the challenge, but my first chance to participate. Joanna’s cookbook Yellow Rose Recipes was the contender, and after going through the whole thing from front to back, I made the difficult decision of selecting the Cajun Baked Tofu, Texas Caviar, and Kasha Varnishkes.
The Texas Caviar is DELICIOUS. I’ve never had any version of this bean salad before, but I don’t really plan on needing any other recipe. Normally I play around with recipe amounts but I stuck to the ones given and it turned out perfect (and made enough for a few servings of leftovers in this two-person household). I paired that with the Cajun Tofu, which had a tasty crust, but I think I didnt press the tofu enough due to a time crunch (the middle ended up a bit bland). Either that, or I am just used to marinated tofu and the spicy cornmeal coating just needed that in addition for my own taste. Still, the crust was crispy and yummy. I’m eager to try it again, maybe adding some more spice mix.
Cajun Baked Tofu and Texas Caviar, with spinach and tomato salad, and Pink Pearl apples in the background.
My third recipe, the Kasha Varnishkes, was my first foray into vegan Jewish food beyond the ubiquitous (vegan) latke. It seemed like it might be too plain, but the combination of that earthy kasha and those caramelized onions was just right! I sprinkled on some parsley because I had some, and served it with broiled asparagus (marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper). And I also had to use fusilli, since my co-op doesn’t carry WW farfalle like the recipe called for. This was a simple and wonderful meal that I would definitely make again.
So if you haven’t already got your hands on this cookbook, I highly recommend it (the green-wa is amazing). Not only are you in store for delicious treats, you are supporting a talented vegan and a great vegan business (Herbivore). Do it!
Zesty Lemon Couscous with Chickpeas and Tomato July 8, 2008
Posted by a-k in beans and legumes, grains and flours, herbs, noodles and pasta, recipe, vegetables.14 comments
I’m making an attempt from now on to use capital letters and be a Proper Adult Blogger. Well, that proper part is maybe a bit extreme outside of typing; I am really just afraid I’ll forget how to write by hand (although in that case I usually do the opposite of what I do here…I write in all capital letters likely as a remnant of my short-lived interior design schooling).
So, who’s hot? I am. I don’t mind the heat so much as the humidity, and living on the attic floor of an old house. Usually I lose interest in cooking and subsist on water, smoothies, and going out to eat. We hit about 88 on Sunday, the day of the first Twin Cities Vegan Potluck, which I think was at least partially responsible for the relatively poor attendance. When I actually do cook, they are quick, stovetop items with at least a couple of fresh ingredients.
I’m quite certain that a plethora of vegan couscous and chickpea dishes exist; I’m sure many more than my rather unsuccessful Google search revealed. This is my favorite way to make one, incorporating my current obsession with lemon zest. I just can’t get enough lemon! In my quest for healthier grains, I suggest whole wheat couscous if you can find it, but it would look awful pretty with the larger Israeli variety as well. Adjust the crushed chili pepper to taste, and if you like it really hot, serve this with a crisp, fresh cucumber salad. This is really lovely at any time of year (the spice will warm you on the colder days of fall and winter), but the short cooking time, simple ingredients, and fresh toppings make it a suitable summer dish, whether warm or chilled.
Zesty Lemon Couscous with Chickpeas and Tomato (serves 3-4):
1 c vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 c couscous
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp crushed red chili pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp allspice
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
zest from one lemon (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c parsley, minced
1 scallion, sliced diagonally
Bring vegetable stock and olive oil to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium pan. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili pepper, and allspice and cook another minute or two, stirring constantly, before doing the same with the chickpeas. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until heated through, then grate in the lemon zest.
Fluff the couscous with a fork and combine with the chickpea mixture, then season to taste with salt and pepper (the sodium content of the vegetable stock will affect how much salt you want). Serve garnished with fresh parsley and scallions.
I finally made it to the garden again this morning, and was greeted by an explosion of growth and color. I’m hoping to harvest some gorgeous kale tomorrow along with a few beets. The sky just turned a strange yellow color outside and it began to rain. I hope it cooled off this little kitty:
some mexican flavor July 3, 2008
Posted by a-k in beans and legumes, cookbooks, grains and flours, herbs, mexican food, protein alternatives, sammiches and wraps, seitan, vegetables.11 comments
seitan fajitas with red, yellow, and poblano peppers, red onions, and guacamole on homemade corn tortillas
this week i made a plank of seitan, and i mean a plank. my experiences with making seitan have often resulted in firm interiors and spongier outsides. so, inspired by tofu666’s recent seitan excursions and less recent photo essay, plus a conglomeration of recipes, i first failed at making seitan from regular wheat flour. it disintegrated in the second batch of water, which makes me wonder whether i either didn’t knead the dough long enough at the beginning or my canister of “whole wheat flour” was actually something else. so i went to the old standby of vital wheat gluten, and rolled the resulting dough into a giant pancake of sorts. i put it into cold broth, simmered it for an hour, then let it cool all day in the pot while i was at work. it worked deliciously! so firm, pleasantly chewy, and it even makes a tasty nibble on its own.
today, however, it had a different calling:
i went off the real food daily recipe for seitan fajitas, though i made it for four mini servings, replaced some of the tamari with water, and added coriander and marmite. while the seitan pieces marinated, i made a small batch of corn tortillas. yum. i don’t think i can ever buy storebought corn tortillas again, though i will definitely have to try making flour ones as well sometime. this was only the second time i’ve made them, but really, they’re quite easy. (while my girlfriend was on tour, her band was treated to a homemade mexican-themed vegan breakfast feast cooked by chloe from montreal-based aids wolf. she made homemade everything, including tortillas!) then i browned the seitan in the cast iron pan, threw in some onions and peppers and sauteed them a couple of minutes. i poured the remaining marinade over everything and turned the heat off while they sizzled. topped with some guacamole, they made for a very tasty lunch.
i haven’t done a ton of cooking yet, because it’s been pretty hot out, and we’ve been really busy looking for a new place to live. i did, however, get a chance to try out the popular quinoa salad with black beans and sweet potatoes posted awhile back on the ppk. i made it spicier and added avocado, and it was quick and easy!
my stomach hasn’t been very happy with some of my food choices lately. i think the raw really had cleaned me out even after just a week, and i have been feeling the effects of my poorer choices (like pizza luce and malaysian golden tofu). so i’ve got to stop being lazy and put my foot down in this house about more fresh food! there’s a good-looking recipe for a raw creamy carrot soup that’s been calling my name. and more juice. definitely more juice.
black bean and herb polenta stacks May 29, 2008
Posted by a-k in beans and legumes, cookbooks, grains and flours, herbs, recipe, vegetables.10 comments
black bean, leek, and oregano polenta layered with tomato relish and garlic-almond nut cheese, served on “house”-dressed greens
i was really hoping to have two dishes to share photos of today. but alas, my attempt at a beautiful rendition of vegan world fusion cuisine’s vital ital green banana omelet resulted in an unattractive (though tasty) mush-pile. believe me, there was no way i was going to photograph that, even as an example of disaster. however, i did make a tasty dinner: black bean and herb polenta stacks.
the fillings, and accompanying salad, were rather off the cuff as far as a recipe. but i can share the polenta recipe. we make a few items at work using tubed polenta, but i’ve never really been into its texture and bland flavor… that may be, however, due to our minimal method of preparation (brushing it with olive oil and sprinkling it with salt and pepper, then baking it for 20 minutes before incorporating it into the recipes, both of which aren’t vegan). i’ve always heard (and now believe) that homemade polenta is the way to go.
i ran across several methods and opinions as to how long to cook the polenta. i was feeling a bit lazy, so i went with a shorter cooking time followed by broiling, though i added black beans and some other goodies to make the creamy polenta even tastier. i cut this into stackable sections and filled each polenta layer with tomato relish and nut cheese.
remember the almond milk i posted about last time? that time around i saved the ground nuts remaining in my nutmilk bag and used them as a base for a garlicky almond cheese. any kind of spreadable vegan cheese or cream cheese, jazzed up a bit with garlic and spices, though, would do. i made a simple tomato and red onion relish, though i think any salsa-type concoction would work. you could even switch up the kinds of beans and herbs, and make a more italian-inspired dish. or, add more veggies to the mix. the polenta gives you a base to experiment with – just keep in mind that the polenta as is is pretty subtle so you will want some stronger flavors in your spread/vegetable layers.
black bean and herb polenta (makes about 2 1/2 c polenta):
3 c vegetable stock (or water)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 c polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1/3 c chopped leeks or scallions
1 c cooked black beans
2 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
salt and pepper to taste
bring stock, oil, and salt to a boil. whisk in cornmeal and reduce heat to a simmer. simmer 10 minutes, whisking constantly. stir in leeks, black beans, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook a few minutes longer. pour into a lightly greased casserole or baking dish (about 9×12), and smooth with a spatula. let cool and set up.
at this point you can cut out your circles or squares, make the layers, and bake the whole stack; otherwise, broil the dish of polenta until it starts to brown (about 10 minutes). let cool and cut out circles of polenta with a thin-rimmed glass or cookie cutter, or square shapes with a knife. layer tomato relish on one piece, top with another piece of polenta, spread with vegan cheese, and top with a third layer of polenta. garnish with oregano and serve with a green salad.
also, this past weekend this was my kitchen: 
i ended up with a pretty tasty chili one night, if you can believe it. beer helps, too. if you wanna see some pictures from our camping trip to the north shore, click here.
fun with sweet potatoes! twice! March 20, 2008
Posted by a-k in baking, beans and legumes, grains and flours, protein alternatives, scones, vegetables, zine.22 comments
unglazed sweet potato and cranberry scones
i never had a chance to remake the sweet potato and cranberry scones with maple caramel glaze that i came up with last fall, and since i was already planning on a sweet potato burger concoction, i decided to cook all the potatoes at once. this time i made it with spelt flour instead of all-purpose, which yielded a slightly earthier orange than before (thought the photos don’t entirely capture that). i also used frozen cranberries instead of fresh.
the glaze didn’t firm up as much as it did last time; i think i may have not boiled the syrup long enough. but it sure tasted good! they are soft, just moist enough, and a good balance of sweetness and tartness. to tell the truth, i had one for dessert and one for breakfast, too…
and then, i also made something i’m really pretty proud of. i don’t know what it is about my recent gluten- and soy-free kick concerning savory food, but these burgers were a definite success on that front.
sweet potato and black bean burgers with millet and leeks
these aren’t “meaty” in the sense of being chewy, but they are hefty patties of deliciousness. because they’re baked, and not fried, they’re fairly low in fat (well, “extra fat” anyway… there is a little almond butter in there). slightly sweet, and with a little bit of chili kick, they’d be good with salsa and vegan cheddar, or like i had them, with a healthy dose of guacamole, spring greens, sliced tomatoes, and a serving of broiled asparagus:
so, where are the recipes? you might be wondering. well, i’ve decided it’s time i got myself together and actually started working on a little cookzine, and i need to get some recipes tested. so if you’re interested in either recipe, let me know, and i’ll email them to you. if you make them, let me know how they turned out for you, or how you changed them. hopefully, i’ll have some other recipes to offer up soon as well.
veganizing turkey March 11, 2008
Posted by a-k in beans and legumes, protein alternatives, recipe.7 comments
turkish chickpea balls with parsley, apricots, and toasted pine nuts; lemon-cilantro-mint soygurt; harvest grains couscous; spinach with moroccan-style beets
no, not that kind of turkey. i’ve been wondering how to veganize a recipe at work that is probably the furthest from vegan we get: turkish lamb meatballs. horrible, i know. i was intrigued, however, but the combination of pine nuts and apricot jam, among other flavors. and then, because i feel like all vegan/vegetarian “meats” are made from soy and/or wheat gluten, i wanted to add that challenge to my day off. my partner is sick of the “vital wheat gluten taste” in the veganomicon-type meat substitutes i’ve been showing her how to make, and sometimes soy just seems so over-used and boring.
i researched and researched base recipes for vegan meatballs and neatballs and what have you, with very little luck. if they didn’t contain tofu or tvp or seitan or gluten, they were made of nuts (which i thought might compete with the pine nuts). then i remembered veggie-only falafel and koftas, and my quest could begin. i also opted for dried apricots instead of jam, for texture and color. just in case, i boiled some potatoes and scooped out some panko in case of some last minute binding issues, but there seemed to be just enough moisture and i needed neither. add a flax egg for good measure, and i had some pretty tasty results for a first attempt at soy-free, gluten-free protein alternative.
these aren’t “meaty” in the sense of being chewy and toothsome. they were a little dry and just faintly crispy on the outside, but stayed pretty moist in the middle. the flavors were also nice, though i might try adding some lemon zest and another spice or two in order to punch it up a little. i might also try tweaking a few ingredients to get a chewier texture, and see how they hold up in a sauce. though they didn’t crumble, they weren’t terribly firm either and i feel they might have fallen apart in liquid. i am not sure how pan-frying them would have changed the texture either; i was trying to watch the fat content a little with these and baked them instead.
despite my my list of issues, they were very okay with me, and also got a really positive response from my special ladyfriend, who was pleasantly surprised by their lack of those aforementioned ingredients.
turkish chickpea balls with apricots and toasted pine nuts (makes 16 balls):
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp flaxmeal + 3 tbsp water
1 small yellow onion, minced (about 1/2 c)
1/4 c finely chopped parsley
1/3 c toasted pine nuts
1/3 c dried apricots, diced
1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
preheat oven to 400F.
place chickpeas in a food processor and pulse into small pieces, scraping down the sides as necessary. you don’t want a paste, but you don’t want any half-chickpeas floating around either. whisk together the flax meal and water in a small cup or bowl until it thickens. transfer the chickpeas to a small mixing bowl and stir in the flax mixture until well distributed. then add the remaining ingredients and mix well. it should look something like this:
using wet hands, firmly roll pieces of the mixture into walnut-sized balls and transfer them to a lightly greased baking sheet. bake at 400F for 15 minutes, then turn over and bake an additional 10 minutes. to reheat, pan-fry in a little olive oil.
formed balls before baking
to serve these, i made a yogurt-style sauce with lemon juice and zest, fresh mint, fresh cilantro, a little salt, and silken tofu (didn’t have any forethought to create a non-soy yogurt). we also cooked some harvest grains couscous from trader joe’s, and i made moroccan-style beets (based on an ancient blog entry which seems terribly inaccurate and i intend on removing until i figure out what is going on) over baby spinach. delicious!
