VeganMoFo: Another Terry Tester! (Sorta.) October 14, 2009
Posted by a-k in mexican food, test recipes, veganmofo.8 comments
Today I made a sort-of Terry test recipe: Whole Spelt* Chia Tortillas. (*Really it’s supposed to be whole wheat.) Feeling pretty comfortable with my corn tortilla-making abilities, I’ve always wanted to tackle it’s burrito- and quesadilla-appropriate cousin. Lucky for us testers, Terry posted a flour tortilla recipe, and not just a flour tortilla recipe, but a whole wheat and chia seed tortilla recipe! I only ever have spelt flour in the cupboard these days, so I tried that out for kicks. And let me tell you: yum! They’re soft, rustic and flavorful, and are surprisingly light with a delightful chia seed crunch. If you’ve never had spelt tortillas, they’re a little more fragile than their wheat counterparts, but their flavor is out of this world. I’ve only ever seen white spelt tortillas, too, so that made this project extra exciting for me (woohoo whole grains!). To utilize it I made a quesadilla with spiced roasted pumpkin puree, kale, and kidney beans, topped with a relish-salsa concoction made from aji amarillo, onions, red peppers, and cilantro. Grilled in the cast iron pan and gobbled up by me for dinner tonight!
Tomorrow or Thursday I’m hoping to tackle the tweaking of the cornbread recipe, but I’m starting my Minnesota Master Naturalist evening course** tomorrow night and I don’t know how much time I’ll have on my hands. (**Yes, I’m a big geek. The course covers the Northwoods/Great Lakes biome.) Also stay tuned for a long overdue review of Ricki’s dessert cookbook Sweet Freedom this week! It’s gonna be great!
Recent Eats via the Farmer’s Market July 13, 2009
Posted by a-k in ani phyo, dips and spreads, farmer's market, mexican food, raw, recipe.14 comments
I’ve been going to the farmer’s market and getting so excited by produce that I tend to overbuy and have too much of something. Well, more than I need for a recipe or two sometimes. Like garlic scapes. My herbs are also growing almost out of control outside, so I thought I should bring the two together and make a creamy cannelini dip with a hint of basil and lemon. This is a lot lighter than pesto, both in flavor and tummy-filling-factor, but sometimes I think that’s kinda nice. I ate them with vegetable crudites, as a sandwich spread, and with some pasta – it’s kind of a dip and sauce in one.
Lemony Scape and Herb Spread (makes about 2 cups):
1 c chopped garlic scapes
large handful of basil leaves (about 15 large leaves)
1/4 c packed parsley leaves
1 3/4 c cannelini beans (one 15 oz. can)
juice of one lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
fresh black pepper, to taste
Place scapes, basil, and parsley in the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
This week I was excited to find squash blossoms all over the market, and I picked up a bag of almost 20 for $1. I’ve seen it battered and fried most often, but I felt a bit lazy today and started looking up other ideas. I veganized a combination of recipes for sopa de flor de calabaza or Mexican squash blossom soup. Basically it’s some onions and garlic with squash blossoms, veggie stock, non-dairy milk, spices and corn. Everything I’d read promised a light zucchini flavor, and hey, I love creamy soups with corn – should be good, right? Wrong. Well, it was wrong for me. The flowers were so bitter it pretty much ruined the soup and I threw out the other serving. Ah, well… at least I didn’t waste a bunch of money on some exotic ingredient (though I did save two to fill with leftover pine nut crema and sprinkled with cornmeal and toasted, and they were better but still pretty bitter. I put them on top of the soup).
Tomorrow I’m planning on making something delicious with my market strawberries that doesn’t involve baking – raw strawberry pie! Yum. Speaking of raw, I recently got back into making Ani Phyo’s Coconut Breakfast Cakes. My friend made them and was not impressed; he found them too sweet and too heavy. I like them pretty well but can see what he means (and others, it seems), and have a few issues of my own (like how they taste terrible the next day). I think there might be a way to combine the rawmelette shells with these in a way that doesn’t require a dehydrator, which would be happy news to all of you who like the thought of trying raw food but don’t have a lot of equipment. So, imagine waking up to a plate not unlike this (only better!):
If the strawberry pie doesn’t get posted first, be prepared for some tasty flaxjacks in the near future. Hooray omega-3s!
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.
PPK Cookbook Challenge: Eat, Drink & Be Vegan September 24, 2008
Posted by a-k in cookbooks, mexican food, tofu.7 comments
ED&BV's Gimme Chimis
I didn’t have last week’s cookbook, but was excited to try Dreena Burton’s Eat, Drink & Be Vegan, which I’ve had nearly since it was released, though I’d only ever referenced it previously to make a white bean hummus. I made quite a few recipes, actually, and only over the course of three days!
First I made the Gimme Chimis (if I have one critique of this cookbook just flipping through it, it’s the cheesy names, but being family-friendly/mom-authored I understand why it is so). This was really good – smokey, a little spicy, and crispy on the outside. I would make it again, but maybe up the spiciness. And add guacamole! (Our avocados smelled and tasted of garbage, unfortunately.) I also replaced the beans called for with some mashed potatoes.
Somehow, I managed to pick a load of fried recipes, which, while tasty, doesn’t reflect my usual food choices. I’ve been trying to counter it with eating more raw foods this week. And speaking of raw, I made Dreena’s Living Caesar Dressing, which was really really tasty! I had it over mixed greens topped with the Blackened Tofu (LOVED the crispy, spicy flavor!).
ED&BV's Blackened Tofu over mixed greens with Living Caesar Dressing
The last recipe I tried was modified as far as presentation. Angela brought home a bunch of free, recently expired tofu that needed to be used quickly, so I made a double batch of the Cumin-Lime Tofu, part of which I used as a stuffing for pupusas. Pupusas are corn tortillas usually stuffed with pork, cheese, or refried beans – I opted for the tofu mixed with shredded zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, onions and garlic instead, and slathered them with some tomatillo salsa.
Pupusas stuffed with ED&BV's Cumin-Lime Tofu, zucchini, tomatoes, onions and garlic.
As far as the tofu part, it was so-so for me. It tasted very limey and very salty (I would add garlic if I made it again and add the full amount of agave nectar). But as the Blackened Tofu was so good, and I’ve got a lot of yummy tofu recipes in my bookshelf, it’s not a huge loss. I ended up baking it far longer than called for to get all the liquid to absorb. I think I will mix the (large amounts of) leftovers with some rice and veggies. Overall, a successful week of new recipes!
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.
raw day 4: enchilada, smoothie, and heat-induced laze June 24, 2008
Posted by a-k in fruit, mexican food, nut cheese, raw, smoothie, vegetables.8 comments
raw avocado-kale enchilada with pepitas, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro and chili flakes, inside a raw corn-flax-lime tortilla and covered in mexican-style cheese sauce
today i had the second half of my enchilada meal for lunch, and unlike the pasta, this one kept wonderfully! i used a tortilla recipe from frugal raw!, which i might dip into more for the spicy recipes (including indian curries!), but made my own fillings. i was slightly thinking back to the potato-kale enchiladas from vcon in coming up with this, but also dealing with the limits of my fridge at 930pm. to get the kale soft, i stemmed and chopped it, then massaged salt into it (a technique learned from this recipe). unbelievably, it softens and reduces just as if it had been cooked! then i just added pepitas, avocado, red onions, tomatoes, cilantro, chili flakes, and a little salt. i used the remainder of my alfredo sauce from the pasta and added cumin, coriander, cayenne, and carrots (for color) to make a mexican style nut cheese to pour over the top. it was so pretty, and so delicious (though i wished i had some raw hot sauce!).
as far as the rest of the day, i’ve been snacking on crackers and fruits and veggies. i did make myself a green smoothie when i got home from work which used orange juice instead of almond milk (from my usual), and fresh ginger. i upped the greens in this one, and it was amazing (and extra green)! again, i made enough for two jars:
it’s almost 90F today, so really i just want to lay in front of the fan and nap with some ice cubes. tomorrow morning, however, i have to prep something for a dinner party i’m going to later that night, so i think it will be back to some more fancies (as the crust is already crisping in the dehydrator).
a giant salad and mole-roasted cauliflower May 14, 2008
Posted by a-k in chocolate, fruit, herbs, mexican food, recipe, salad, sauces and spices, vegetables.15 comments
strawberry-avocado green salad with chickpea relish and fresh basil.
do you ever have one of those dinners where you realize you are shoveling your food frantically into your mouth as though you’ll never eat again? that’s what happened to me tonight. i had to stop myself, put my fork down, and breathe a little. i think this was a combination of not having eaten since my morning smoothie and my meal being mouthgasmic.
one of the big perks of my co-op job is that there’s often produce that can’t be sold for whatever reason and is free for employees to take. sometimes they really are past their prime, but most often you can either work around a bruised spot, or it is simply a perfectly ripe vegetable ready to be eaten within a day or three. a couple of days ago i got a free pint of strawberries, and today i unburied a few avocados and a bunch of cilantro. when i have strawberries and avocado, i think of them as perfect mates for a green salad, rather than separating them for sweet and savory individual purposes. a sprinkling of fresh basil and a sudden inspiration to use my recently soaked and cooked chickpeas as well made for a giant salad perfect for one person’s dinner, or two as a considerable side salad.
strawberry-avocado green salad with chickpea relish and fresh basil (serves 1 as a meal, 2 as a side):
1/2 head red romaine, chopped
6 strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 c chickpeas
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
splash white balsamic vinegar
splash lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 leaves basil, shredded or cut into chiffonade
dressing of choice (optional – i used goddess dressing)
place romaine on a plate or in a wide shallow bowl. top with sliced strawberries and avocado (you can sprinkle a little lemon juice on the avocado to prevent browning). make the chickpea relish by combining the chickpeas, red onion, olive oil, balsamic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl, tossing to coat. sprinkle over the salad and top with basil leaves. serve as is or with optional dressing.
the second half of my meal was inspired by pondering cauliflower. i’d thought about making a raw coconut cauliflower “rice” dish with green peas, or a soup, or just roasting it. today ended up being rather dreary and gray, and crispy roasted cauliflower sounded just right. but not just with olive oil and a couple of spices. i wanted something spicy, flavorful, and different. how about chilies? how about cilantro? how about chocolate? yes. chocolate. mole-roasted cauliflower it was.
i’m certainly not a mole expert; i’ve had it a few times to varying degrees of likeability. one of the world’s “master sauces,” i read somewhere that authentic mole uses 100 ingredients and a bit of time to prepare. but since my cauliflower didn’t need a thick sauce for roasting, i improvised more of a simple marinade. it’s far from 100 ingredients (and probably authenticity), but full of flavor and a nice kick from the cayenne. go ahead and make your roasted cauliflower a little sexy.
mole-roasted cauliflower (serves 2-4):
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp epazote or oregano
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 cloves garlic
3 tbp canola oil
1-2 tsp lime juice
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh cilantro to garnish
preheat oven to 425F. in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except cauliflower and cilantro. add cauliflower and toss well to coat, then place in a wide, oven-safe dish. roast for 25-35 minutes until edges are crispy, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. serve hot. (you could also use any leftovers pureed with vegetable stock for a quick and easy soup.)
i was generously awarded the excellent award blog awhile back by lisa of show me vegan. i am meant to award this to five other bloggers whom i find excellent, but this task overhwhelms me as i feel there are so many amazing blogs out there(and i know i only know a small fraction of them) and i have seen this award floating around on several within the past few months. i try very hard to keep up with all the blogs on my blogroll as well as a handful of others, but i’m not always a visible visitor (i don’t comment very often). therefore, in order to prevent double-awarding/repeats (which i was guilty of causing with my last meme), i am forgoing passing this award on to only five blogs, and going to leave comments on the blogs i visit regularly instead of being shy. and again, if you have a blog or know of a blog i don’t have listed here, please let me know!
