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:

fresh fruit tart with citrus banana cashew cream on a buckwheat crumble crust

today, i loved colors.  well, more than usual, and in my food.  i am fully aware that it is much hotter and muggier in other parts of the world than it is here in minnesota, but today was our first really hot day.  my one-block walk to work left me uncomfortably hot and sweaty, which was an unfortunate follow-up to the morning of fun food-making.

i had some soaked cashews waiting to be used in the fridge and a bunch of bananas on the counter, which i thought would pair well together to make a rich and creamy topping for the buckwheat crumble (again, from living cuisine) crust i’d made over the weekend.  and though i love bananas and have been adding them to smoothies and eating them plain, i thought they might work well with some citrus flavors for variety.  at work i have to bake these (unfortunately not vegan) citrus pistachio shortbread cookies that smell SO good.  until i feel inspired to turn my oven on and veganize them, i thought i’d borrow the intoxicating trio of lemon, orange, and lime for this little creation.

most of my raw eating has been from cookbooks because i am far less familiar with the concepts and i wanted to learn new ideas and techniques.  this time, however, you’re in luck if you’re jonesing for a homemade recipe!  i’m going to go out on a limb and say you could probably make this with all bananas and no cashews if you can’t eat nuts, as well as subbing avocado for bananas if you’d like to keep the creaminess but skip the banana flavor.  it works equally well as a pudding with granola and fresh fruit.  or you can do it like i did.

citrus banana cashew cream filling (makes enough for a 10″ deep pie crust, maybe more):

1 ½ cups cashews, soaked 6-8 hours
2 bananas, peeled and broken into chunks
8 dates, pitted*
1 whole orange, zest and juice
½-1 lemon, zest and juice (start with 1/2)
½-1 lime, zest and juice (start with 1/2)
2 teaspoons vanilla, or vanilla bean

water, as needed

Place soaked and drained cashews in a food processor or blender and process into a meal. Add remaining ingredients (except water), and blend thoroughly, scraping down the sides as needed, until as creamy and smooth as possible. Add water as needed to adjust thickness (how much juice you get out of your fruits will affect this too). This may take 5 minutes depending on the strength of the processor/blender (but if you choose the no-nuts route, far less time). Taste and add more zest if desired.  Use as a pudding or pie/tart filling with fresh fruit, eat, and pass out from creamy deliciousness.

*the dates do darken the cream up a bit, so you can use agave to taste if you prefer, or leave it out if you just want to rock the banana.

why yes, i did have a piece for breakfast!

after a quick rinse in the sink, the bowl went back on the food processor to whip up some pea mole (that’s the guacamole kind of mole) for a “torta” i was planning to bring to a dinner party later.  however, that’s when i had to get creative.  the “torta” crust i had made the day before out of sprouted wild rice and some other things didn’t smell quite right.  i noticed this about the wild rice the last time i rinsed it - it smelled off in a way that made me worry it had gone bad.  i rinsed it really really well and the smell seemed to go away, but after dehydrating it the smell was back and i just couldn’t risk sacrificing perfectly good fillings on a crust that might make me (not to mention my friends) sick.  painful as it was, i tossed it and hoped i could come up with some sort of elaborate new dish.  but i had no good ideas, and not much time.  luckily my eyes landed on the massive container of rosemary crisps sitting innocently on the kitchen table, and i found my purpose.  the summer manitok torta from living cuisine became, instead, spicy pea mole with avocado and tomato on rosemary crisps:

i actually added garlic (and some cayenne for kick) to the mole, since that flavor was meant to be in the wild rice crust, but otherwise kept it the same.  instead of a torta, i had individual servings with a slice each of avocado and tomato, and parsley for garnish.  despite a slightly less crispy cracker from being prepped in the morning, these were well received as my somewhat self-conscious contribution of raw.  since i sadly couldn’t partake in the delicious-looking quinoa and garbanzo salad, i had three mini tortas!

i don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but i do have a small bowl of leftover mole, tomatoes, and avocado, so they will likely end up in something.  that, and i have half of the fruit tart left (yep, it was all me).  perhaps i’ll conjure up an appropriate vehicle during my haircut after work tomorrow?

raw eggplant jerky, lemon hummus with fresh salsa, raw no-wheat thins, and roma tomatoes.

here in minneapolis, we are lucky to be having pretty decent weather right now. it’s warming up, but we still have cool nights, and the humidity hasn’t gotten nasty. still, i appreciate breaks from using the oven whenever i can, living in the attic level of an old house.

this makes dehydrator life very appealing! while it still emits some heat, 105 degrees is far preferable to, say, 400. i have just started learning how to plan for dehydrating more than one thing at a time (though i still only made two simultaneous creations for today’s post), which is a better use of energy, of course. besides the cookies and cereal, i made one sheet of strawberry-lemon fruit leather (devoured promptly on saturday at midnight, hence the lack of photo). so on monday, my day off, i got up early and sliced some eggplants on the mandoline and made a “jerky” marinade for them. then i soaked some almonds for making a fresh batch of milk, the pulp of which formed the base of some “no-wheat thins” made later in the day. that’s one things i really like about making raw food (which, i’m sure, could be adapted in several ways to non-raw food): getting to re-use leftovers from recipes (like nut or vegetable pulp from milk or juice) to make all-new recipes (like cookies or carrot cake!). maybe i should say that i know that i and many people use cooked leftovers in creative ways, but you seem to be left with a lot more unadulterated base ingredients when preparing raw food. or maybe i’m just really excited about doing this cleanse, and i want it to sound more exciting than it really is? anyway, onto the recipes.

if you don’t want to experiment with turning your oven on and off to recreate a dehydrator, or the sun and humidity isn’t cooperating, or you’re into diy projects, you can go here to learn how to build your own solar food dehydrator. hooray!

i adapted this recipe for eggplant jerky to suit and set my own quantities. the texture becomes very jerky-like, but the flavor isn’t very much in that vein because, of course, nothing gets smoked in raw food. the flavor is still really amazing though - rich, tangy and spicy. i did discover that i do not like chewing through a slice of eggplant peel, so i would recommend discarding the outer peel slices (but the peel-edged slices were great!). i needed two large containers to marinate the eggplant slices in, but in the end they shriveled up into one medium-sized quantity.

raw eggplant jerky (makes about 1 quart):

2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 lbs.), sliced thinly (halved if large)
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/2-1 red chili pepper, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons of raw agave
1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced
1-2 tsp salt, or to taste

cut the eggplant into quarters lengthwise, and cut off the stem end. slice thinly using a mandoline, vegetable peeler, handheld cheese slicer, or with a knife. place into one or two large airtight containers, with enough room for some shaking. in a blender or food processor, process the garlic, chili pepper, and ginger until fine. add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and agave and blend until emulsified. pour the marinade over the eggplant, cover, and shake to saturate all the pieces. marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours (i cheated the original recipe) or up to 24 hours. place on lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate for 12-24 hours, flipping once, until jerky-like. (my slices were pretty thin, so it only took about 12 for me).

**alternately, if you don’t care about keeping it raw or necessarily having a super-chewy texture, you could bake these in the oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes or until crispy.**

for the no-wheat thins, i’m going to point you in this direction, since i followed it pretty faithfully. i used wet almond pulp so i reduced the amount of water a little bit, and had to pre-grind my flax seeds in a spice grinder because my food processor isn’t that powerful. also, i added some cracked pepper and nutritional yeast for extra fun times (sprinkled on top of the spread cracker “dough”). these were really light and tasty, and i am excited to experiment with adding buckwheat or other seeds for more texture and flavor. if you omit the pepper and nooch, they could be a great base for sweet toppings too!

ps - if you’re wondering about the title of this post, my ladyfriend asked me to change it from simply “afternoon appetizers” to its current incarnation as a nod to maya deren’s film.  she’s cute, eh?

maple cinnamon buckwheat crispies and vanilla carob sesame milk with strawberries and bananas

i made my own cereal! it was most exciting, and i can’t wait to try out different variations. texturally and physically, they resemble corn flakes, but the flavor of these maple cinnamon buckwheat crispies far surpasses any storebought cereal i’ve ever had. and hello! they’re made of buckwheat, which is way better for you than corn. i used the recipe from raw food real world, only i cut back on the sweeteners. all you do, really, is soak buckwheat for an hour, drain it, and pulse it in the food processor with maple syrup, cinnamon, and a little salt (i omitted the stevia, since i’m not a fan). then spread it on some dehydrator sheets and let the fans do their thing for about 12 hours, flipping towards the end. then you break them up into “flakes” and store them in an airtight container. (if you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also dry them in the sun. this will take more or less time depending on the humidity where you live.)

in addition the great taste, they stay crispy in milk for a long time! that is a big plus for me, as soggy cereal is one of the worst things i know. and speaking of milk, i’ve been experimenting beyond my usual almond milk, and most recently have been wanting to try out some nut-free milks. first i made pepita (raw pumpkin seed) milk, which was the faintest tint of green and probably would have tasted a lot better if i hadn’t oversalted it. not to be disheartened, i tried again, this time with sesame seeds. if you’re like me, you might be thinking what? sesame milk? and while it’s not as neutral as a nut milk or rice milk, the taste is quite a sophisticated base for other additions. i sampled it plain and nearly as thick as a creamer - it was drinking a subtle, thin tahini.

plain sesame “cream”

since i was planning to use it for breakfast-y, drink-y purposes, i decided to add some other things. i thinned it out with more water, sweetened it with agave nectar, added some raw carob powder, and scraped the seeds out of half a vanilla bean. i don’t buy vanilla beans very often; in fact, this is only the second time in my life i have (the first time was last fall). there is a huge difference between vanilla extract and a vanilla bean, beyond the fact that the extract contains alcohol or glycerin. there is something earthier and, for lack of a better term, sexier about that little dark wrinkled pod and its aroma. but my favorite part, really, is the tiny little black specks that color the neutral shade of a good homemade vegan milk (or ice cream!).

the only thing i would do differently with this milk next time is add more carob powder, for a richer color and a little more flavor. then again, i really love carob! i bet some cocoa powder would work just as well if you’re into that whole chocolate thing. and i apologize for the poor picture quality - i made this the day of a big dark storm:

vanilla carob sesame milk (makes about 1 quart):

1 c raw sesame seeds, plus soaking water
1 quart filtered water, divided
2-3 tbsp agave nectar (or to taste)
2 tbsp carob powder
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
pinch of salt

soak the sesame seeds in two or more cups water for 6 hours or overnight. drain and rinse. place the sesame seeds in a blender with two fresh cups of water and blend for a few minutes, until smooth. strain through a nutmilk bag (or several layers of cheesecloth) into a bowl and rinse out your blender. return strained milk to blender. if you want a really thick milk, you don’t need to add as much water, but i found the thinned version to still be quite creamy (and less intense on the tahini flavor). add the remaining water, carob, vanilla, and salt, and blend until thoroughly mix. store in the refrigerator, and shake before serving, as it will separate.

(alternatively, you could cheat and add a few tablespoons of tahini to a quart of water with the rest of the ingredients, and then blend those for a few minutes, if you’re short on time or don’t have access to bulk sesame seeds. i’ve done it with nut butters and found the taste to be a little different, but i can’t vouch for the tahini version by experience, although i know many people do make sesame milk this way.)

a tasty milk for a tasty cereal, topped off with strawberries and bananas. are there any flavor combinations you think would be a good idea for new batches of the cereal or the milk?

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.

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!

oatmeal pancakes with maple syrup, raspberries and peaches

a and i woke up and made oatmeal pancakes (recipe from how it all vegan) and coffee, and i popped down to the coop to get some raspberries and peaches to have with it. two pancakes apiece later, we were stuffed and ready for the day!

we rode our bikes to the may day parade on bloomington ave, a parade of progressive politics, puppetry, dancing, drumming, colorful costumes, stilts, bicycles, pagans and art (to name just a few). you can check out my may day parade photos on flickr. it’s fun to see so many people you know, and it also feels like a celebration of spring, when everyone emerges from the cold, dark winter in bursts of color and warmth.

after getting sufficiently sun-kissed, we stopped at the jasmine deli for a much needed snack of mock duck spring rolls, and then went home to make a potluck contribution for my friend’s birthday party. a lot of my friends are vegetarians, but not vegans. however, they always consider me and i don’t have to worry about only getting to eat what i brought. here is my plate of savory goodies (unfortunately sans the delicious piece of sea salt focaccia that peter baked… you can find a picture of me stuffing my face with it on his flickr account):

there’s another raw recipe (my potluck contribution) coming your way below. i decided to make a raw apple crisp, which i’ve had once, but never made before, so that was a bit nerve-wracking. but it worked out wonderfully and people really liked it. spiced, moist, crisp apples topped with a nut and seed topping, and served with a dollop of vanilla cashew cream. yum! fresh food tastes so good!

raw swedish apple crisp (serves 8-12):

(part of this is adapted from ani phyo’s recipe for all-american apple pie)

1 orange, peeled and deseeded
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 handful dates, deseeded and chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
water as needed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp (or more) ground ginger
1 tsp cardamom
6-7 crisp apples (use one or a variety, i used pink lady)

1/2 c raw almonds, dry
1/2 c raw pumpkin seeds, dry
1/2 c raw walnuts
5-6 dates
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
water as needed
1/2 c dried, shredded coconut
2 tbsp black sesame seeds

blend the orange in a blender or food processor, then add the lemon juice, dates and vanilla to make a syrup. if the mixture seems too thick or isn’t blending well, add some water. pour syrup in a medium mixing bowl and add cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. (cinnamon and cardamom can taste slightly bitter, so if the syrup seems so to you, you can add a little more ginger to tone the bitterness down.) wash and chop or slice the apples, adding them to the syrup as you go and tossing them to prevent browning. place apple-syrup mixture into a casserole dish or baking dish (mine is a bit small at about 7×10).

to make the crisp topping, place almonds, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts in a food processor and pulse into a coarse meal (you don’t want to overprocess them, as they provide the bulk of the texture in the topping). add the dates, vanilla, and cinnamon, and process until well mixed (you can add water if there isn’t enough moisture holding it together. transfer to a bowl and stir in the coconut and black sesame seeds. press this mixture evenly on top of the apples. (at this point you could probably dehydrate it if you want a crispier topping, but i don’t have a dehydrator and i think it turned out just fine!)

vanilla cashew cream (makes a little over 1 c):

1 c raw cashews, soaked overnight
water as needed
2-3 tbsp agave nectar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8-1/4 tsp ground turmeric (optional)

drain the cashews and place in a food processor. blend into a fine meal, then add agave nectar and vanilla extract. process, adding enough water to make a thick, smooth cream. i added turmeric to make the cream slightly yellow, which stems from a personal, nostalgic desire to emulate the vanilla cream you get with swedish apple cakes and crisps, but not necessary. serve on top of your crisp (or a baked pie, in place of ice cream!).

besides the cashew soaking, this whole endeavor took about 45 minutes from start to finish. and it’s good for you (well, for a dessert anyway)! i had a lone leftover piece for breakfast this morning.

vegan bun: vietnamese noodle salad with fresh veggies, ezekiel sprouted grain linguine, cilantro-habanero-almond sauce, and sunflower-pecan nutmeat, garnished with basil and cilantro

no, it’s not that kind of bun. the baked roll-thing, i mean.

i’m deeply considering a raw fast this summer for the 10 days a is away on tour. so while looking for recipe-contenders for meal-planning (i need this kind of structure for that kind of dedication), i found a website called gone raw, with member-posted recipes. i have been drooling over the creations and feeling inspired to start incorporating some raw meals more frequently. what i came up with for dinner tonight isn’t entirely raw because of the sprouted pasta, tamari, and toasted sesame oil i used, but still ended up a fresh-ful and satisfying meal. so many textures, colors, and flavors! i highly recommend making some version of this meal (the nutmeat topping could be made from tofu or mushrooms, you could spiral-slice some zucchini or daikon as noodles, and possibly add some bean sprouts like i forgot to buy) to celebrate warmer weather.

bun (which refers also to a style of rice noodle) is a vietnamese dish generally consisting of room temperature noodles, large amounts of cool vegetable garnishes, and small servings of warm meat (usually beef) or stir-fried vegetables with a sweet and spicy fish-sauce and chili dressing. i strayed from a lot of these traditions in the necessity of making it vegan; also, mine was a chilled, mostly raw salad. you can use a less fiery pepper than habanero (or omit it completely) if you’re not a big fan of spice. there might be a few leftover vegetables depending on the size and how much you use in your salad - the measurements i am including are rough estimates. and feel free to switch up the vegetables; my choices reflect what i had on hand.

vegan bun (vietnamese noodle salad) (serves 2-3):

1/2 lb. wide pasta/noodles

1/2 c (raw) pecans (soaked if desired)
1/2 c (raw) sunflower seeds (soaked if desired)
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp (or more) tamari or shoyu
1 tbsp sesame oil

1 carrot, julienned
1/2 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly
1/2 c tomato, diced
1 c green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 bell pepper, julienned
2 tbsp green or spring onion, sliced thinly

1/4 c cilantro, loosely packed
2 tbsp fresh basil
1 garlic clove
2 tsp lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2-1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp (raw) almond butter
1/4 c (or more) water

lettuce leaves for lining plates
fresh basil and cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)

cook noodles according to package directions, then rinse with cold water and set aside. prepare your vegetables, placing them on a large plate (this makes it easier to keep them separate and not crowd your cutting board). in a food processor, pulse cilantro, basil, lemongrass, and chili pepper until finely chopped. add almond butter and enough water to thin the sauce to your liking and process until smooth. toss with cooled noodles and clean out your food processor for making the nutmeat. pulse garlic until chopped fine, then add the sunflower seeds and pecans and process to a coarse meal. add the sesame oil and tamari and process until well blended. taste and season with more tamari or salt as necessary.

line wide bowls with leaf lettuce, then pile on the dressed noodles and vegetables. garnish with fresh basil leaves and cilantro, and serve.

close-up on those crispy vegetables, creamy noodles, and scrumptious ground nut topping

unless it’s my day off, i’m not a big breakfast eater. this is bad. but when you have to be at work at 630am, those precious last minutes in bed are hard to let go of. in general (though with a few exceptions), i don’t think i’ve been eating particularly well lately, hence my relative lack of posts. i’m working to change this.  which brings me to breakfast scrambles.

first up we have the classic vwav tofu scramble… only here we added broccoli, green peppers, and snow peas to the cremini mushrooms, omitting the carrots. and topped it with salsa! and served it with toast. delicious sunday brunch.

and next up, ani phyo’s garden scramble with save-the-chicks pate. the only thing i changed was adding some nutritional yeast and chopped parsley, because that’s how i roll when i’ve got parsley to use up. i’ve never had a raw scramble before. this was filling, fresh, and pretty damn good. i’m interested to play around with the seasonings and vegetables some more in the future.

as a bonus, here is my first veganized swedish cookbook creation (since i recently decided to start veganizing some scandinavian cookbooks i have lying around). in swedish, mjölkstuvade makaroner, in english, milk-stewed macaroni. this is super typical swedish white food: macaroni cooked in milk and butter instead of water, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. i tried to make it a little bit healthier by using quinoa pasta and putting some chopped parsley on top, but who am i kidding? this is comfort food through and through. it was that kind of night.

vegan milk-stewed macaroni (serves 1-2):

1 3/4 c unsweetened, creamy, non-dairy milk (I used oat)
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp vegan margarine
1/2 c macaroni
ground black pepper, to taste
dash nutmeg (optional)
chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)

heat “milk,” salt, and margarine in a medium saucepan until the margarine has melted. add the macaroni and let them cook over very low heat, uncovered, for 10-25 minutes (depending on the kind of macaroni you are using), or until they have become soft. stir occasionally to prevent them sticking to the bottom, adding more milk if necessary. add the pepper and nutmeg, and top with or stir in chopped parsley. serve warm.

i definitely promise that the next creation will be healthier, prettier, and maybe even a little bit fancy!

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!